Escape Clause IV: Snapshots
by willynilly23
Summary: Ten Snapshots, one from each of the first 10 years of Annie & Auggie's life as parents. Warning, lots of snuggling and cuddling going on here.
1. Chapter 1

Snapshot #1 – Grace is 1

The crying began around 1:00 am. Annie and Auggie both woke, but laid still hoping Grace would settle herself down. She didn't.

"I'll check on her," Auggie murmured and kissed Annie on the forehead.

Annie tried to fall back to sleep, the alarm set to go off in just 4 hours for her first international flight since she found out she was pregnant in Tokyo. She was nervous enough about getting back on the international scene, about leaving Grace, about screwing up both her job and her baby and now it seemed Grace was voicing her discontent.

Annie could hear Auggie through the baby monitor.

"Hey little G, what is going on?" he asked calmly.

The baby changed her volume from screaming to whimpering and Annie assumed Auggie had picked her up.

"OK, I got you, you're OK," he cooed to the baby and it started to send Annie back to sleep, until she heard this…."you feel a little warm Gracie."

Annie hopped up and was in the nursery in seconds.

"Is she OK?"

"I think so, just a little warm, not too bad," Auggie said his lips against the baby's brow.

Annie got the thermometer out of the changing table and approached, the baby sensing what was coming tugged at her ear and wailed louder.

"Oh no, I think it's her ears," Annie said as she stroked the baby's head.

"It's OK, baby's get ear infections Annie, she'll be fine," Auggie continued to cuddle Grace close.

"Not when her mother has a flight to Mozambique leaving in 4 hours," she sighed.

"Yes, even then. You are not the first mother to leave the country when their kid is sick Annie," Auggie tried soothing both of them at once.

"I know, it's just…."

"You're worried about me, not her," Auggie said suddenly.

"No!" Annie replied quickly. "This has nothing to do with you, I would be freaked if I was leaving her with Mary Poppins, Auggie.'

"I can manage her tonight and get her to the pediatrician tomorrow. I was already planning to work from here tomorrow, Barber knows that. It is just an ear infection Annie, kids get sick," Auggie reached for her with his free arm and she slid into it, placing a second warm hand on the baby who seemed to be nodding back off.

Auggie got her back to sleep, but less than an hour later she was crying again.

"Sleep," he tried to will Annie back to sleep as he slipped out of bed again.

"G, you need to sleep sweetie," Auggie tried to reason with the kid.

She cried louder.

"OK, OK," he sighed and picked her up which seemed to help, relieving the pressure on her ears a little.

"How about we go downstairs and let Mommy sleep for a couple more hours?" Auggie felt around in the crib for a blanket and pulled one of Grace's toys off the shelf.

The two padded down the stairs and Auggie put an album on the turntable and sank into his dad's chair.

"I'm so sorry you don't feel well Peanut," he kissed her tear-stained cheek.

The next few hours involved a variety of activities to keep Grace as quiet as possible and very little sleeping, but when Annie came downstairs with her suitcase she found them both dozing in the chair. She stood and looked at them for a minute, her beautiful little family and tried not to feel like the worst mother on the planet.

"Hey," Auggie said quietly when he realized she was there.

"I have to go."

"OK," he stood, waking the baby who did not take kindly to the movement.

"Shh, baby," Auggie soothed and bounced her a little.

She managed to work herself into a full wail quickly. Annie tried to take her for a quick cuddle but the baby clung to Auggie's neck screaming. Auggie looked tired and frazzled and guilty that the baby wouldn't go to her.

"Sorry, I'll just go, sorry," Annie was trying desperately not to cry herself.

"We'll be OK," Auggie said over the baby's screams and reached for her, kissed her and touched his forehead to hers.

"I'll call you later," she said and left before she changed her mind.

***555***

"Mr. Anderson?" a young nurse called him in the waiting room .

"That's us," he stood and tried to maneuver around the toys and coffee tables between him and the nurse while holding a fussy Grace.

"OK, Miss Grace what seems to be the problem?" Dr. Cavanaugh asked as he settled Grace on the exam table.

"Her fever was between 100 and 101.4 and she has been tugging at her left ear, she is also teething" Auggie answered.

"I asked Grace," the doctor grinned.

"Sorry," Auggie smirked.

"Definitely sounds like an ear infection little lady, although the teething isn't helping matters, may I?" he asked Grace as he showed her the otoscope he was going to use.

Grace wasn't real thrilled about the whole thing.

"Dad, any chance you could give me a hand here?" the doctor asked.

Auggie cuddled Grace close, holding her as still as a squirmy one year old gets while awake so the doctor could examine her ears. The doctor was very good with Grace, talking to her the whole time, letting her play with the stethoscope around his neck.

"Your daughter seems very healthy, despite the fever and the slight infection in her ears she is very responsive and she shows no signs of anything other than a typical ear infection. She will be uncomfortable for a couple days, I would give her children's Tylenol as needed but in accordance with the packaging. Don't be surprised if she eats a little less, it will hurt to chew and swallow and lying flat hurts too."

"We figured that out last night, didn't we Grace?" Auggie yawned.

"If she isn't herself in a few days, follow up, but I trust she will be fine in 48 hours or so," the doctor patted Auggie on the shoulder and offered him a lead back to the reception area.

"Thank you Dr. Cavanaugh," Auggie bid farewell.

"Auggie," he heard the voice of Linda Milton, their nanny.

"Hey Linda," he smiled.

"How is she?" she asked.

"Just fine, a little Tylenol and some rest and he says she'll be back to new, which I hope includes sleeping through the night."

"I stopped at Starbucks while I was doing the errands, there is a very large coffee in the car for you."

"You are the best, really, I know today was your day off," Auggie said solemnly.

"No problem at all, babies get sick," she shrugged it off.

***555***

When Annie decided to stay at the DPD and work for Auggie it was both the best idea and the worst idea. Luckily the reality of Grace made it slightly easier, gave them a transition time where Annie wanted to stay stateside and be available to continue breast feeding and rocking her baby to sleep at night. It was decided she would not go on the international duty roster until after Grace turned 1.

They began looking for a nanny shortly after Joan came to breakfast and offered Auggie the DPD job. Annie hated the idea of leaving her baby with someone else all day, but it was that or put her career on hold until Grace went to school.

The process was arduous, even more so than the average nanny search as Auggie also insisted the CIA do a full background check as well. They narrowed it down to 5 final candidates and chose Linda Milton.

In her thirties, Linda had cared for the children of a Senator Joan knew and came highly recommended. She was smart and sweet and trained in all the things Annie and Auggie wanted her trained in, certified in CPR and an all-around nice woman. Annie also didn't mind the fact that Linda was married, to a woman. Auggie teased her for watching too many Lifetime movies.

Now she brought Auggie and Grace home and helped Auggie label the Tylenol and the dosing spoon so he could administer Grace's meds alone.

"You guys good now?" Linda asked as she threw away the packing and set everything back to order.

"Yes, we should be fine, thanks again," Auggie smiled.

"Glad to help, I know Annie was a little freaked about her trip," Linda smiled at Grace who was chewing on a teething ring.

"Leaving an hysterical baby was even harder," Auggie sighed.

Linda left and Auggie texted Annie to let her know the baby was fine before collapsing on the couch to catch his breath.

***555***

The Tylenol definitely helped Grace and exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before she napped, allowing Auggie to get some actual work done in the afternoon.

Dinner was finished by 6:00 and Auggie gave Grace a bath and put her in clean jammies. He laid out the quilt his mom had made on the nursery floor and put Grace down before joining her and stretching out. Grace used him as a human jungle gym, pulling herself up before plopping ceremoniously on her bottom. She had been testing out the walking thing for a month now, but Auggie's long reach kept her close, she thought she had ample freedom to move.

His phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket as it announced Annie Walker calling.

"Hello," he said sweetly.

"Hi," she breathed a huge sigh hearing his voice.

"You all settled? Everything in place?" he asked as he bent his legs for Grace to climb.

"Nicest safe house ever, sleeping with the boss has its perks," she teased.

"Wanted to ease you back into the field. You ready for tomorrow?"

"I have already been over everything with my handler. I do not want to talk to my boss, I want to talk to my husband," she lowered the register of her voice.

"Got it. What are you wearing?" he said as smarmy as he could without laughing.

"How is my baby?" Annie changed the subject.

"She is fine, she napped so now I am trying to tire her out with a light work out."

"Are you bench pressing our child?" Annie laughed.

"No, I am just laying here, she napped not me. She is climbing me at the moment. Gracie, want to talk to mommy?" Auggie asked and reached to pull her close.

Auggie switched the phone to speaker.

"Say hi Grace," Auggie instructed and the baby babbled.

"Hi sweetie," Annie said and Grace went quiet.

Auggie wished like anything that he could see the look on Grace's face when Annie's voice came out of the phone.

"You and daddy having fun?" she asked.

"Da!" Grace yelled.

"Oh right, you say that now. Can you saw MOMMY?" Annie tried for the millionth time.

"Da!" she repeated.

"Maybe she is speaking Russian?" Auggie offered.

"You're sweet, but she clearly favors you," Annie sighed again.

"It is actually easier for babies to make the d sound, m's are harder to form. It is perfectly natural for them to say daddy before mommy, it is no reflection on their feelings," Auggie smiled.

"I know," she yawned.

"It's late there," he said unnecessarily.

"I wanted to make sure I didn't interrupt dinner or bath time, might as well keep her on as regular a schedule as possible."

"We're fine."

"I'm in bed by myself. It feels weird," she admitted.

"Not looking forward to that myself," Auggie assured her.

"I'm sure Barber would come cuddle with you if you are lonely," Annie teased.

"I'll find a way to survive," Auggie laughed.

"We're really doing this?" Annie asked.

"Just a typical night for the spy family," he grinned.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Snapshots #2 – Grace is 2

"Call me if anything is on fire, and I mean full on conflagration, I trust you with a small blaze," Auggie said as he shut down and felt the face of his watch for the time.

"All should be fine," Barber assured.

"If you really need me call my cell, we won't be home," Auggie explained.

"Where will you be?" Barber asked confused since Auggie said he was going home early.

"Somewhere no one knows but me," Auggie grinned and saw Barber out of his office, locking it behind him.

"Mr. Anderson," a company driver appeared, "you ready Sir?"

"I am, let's do this," Auggie nodded.

Once settled in the back seat of the black fleet sedan Auggie called Linda to check on Grace.

"We're fine, enjoying the park on a nice day," Linda reported.

"We'll see you guys at 6:00."

"Grace will be very happy to see her mommy," Linda reported.

"I know and I hate to keep them apart even a few more hours, but daddy has missed mommy too," Auggie smiled.

"I have no doubt, see you later."

"Call for anything," Auggie gave her more latitude than Barber.

"This is for you Sir. Room 520," the driver handed an envelope over to Auggie.

The car came to a stop at National airport and the driver said he would be right back. Auggie sat patiently in the back seat. He could hear her chatting pleasantly with the driver and the surprised gasp when she ducked her head in the back seat and saw him.

"Well hello there, this is a nice surprise," she slid into the car and the driver closed the door safely behind her.

"I like to keep you on your toes," he smiled as she leaned over and kissed him.

"I missed you," she indicated that with another kiss and then one more, "a lot."

"Me too, that's why I am here. We are going to play hooky," he grinned.

"We aren't going back to Langley?" she asked confused.

"Nope."

"Are we going home?" her voice was hopeful.

"Eventually," he tried for mysterious.

"Auggie, where are we going?" she leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear.

He handed over the envelope.

"We're going to the Fairmont?" she asked confused.

"Yes."

"For the afternoon?" she said with a wry grin.

"For two days, Linda is bringing Grace at dinner time. They have a salt water pool and we can eat fancy food."

"Grace is coming at dinner time?" Annie looked at her watch, it was not quite noon.

"Yes."

"Whatever are we to do between now and then?" she queried.

"Well, you are just back from a 3 week mission in Prague, I am pretty sure I need to debrief you," he tried for a straight face.

"How long have you been waiting to use that line?" she laughed.

"Since Joan offered me the head of the DPD job," he admitted.

"This is very romantic and very sweet," she squeezed his thigh.

"You were 6,000 miles away for your birthday, consider this your party and your present all wrapped into one."

"I love you," she whispered in his ear again and felt the muscle in his thigh clench under her hand.

They scurried out of the car, Auggie thanked the driver as Annie gathered her stuff.

"Do you have a bag?" Annie asked.

"Linda is bringing it, I don't plan on needing anything but you until she gets here," he smirked.

Annie led him through the opulent lobby and over to the elevator, her suitcase trailing behind her. She found room 520 and slid the key card in, the room was huge with an enormous bed taking up one half of it and the other providing a cozy sitting area near a balcony that overlooked a gorgeous courtyard below. There was a room service trolley in one corner.

"Are you hungry?" Auggie asked, as he leaned back against the door, relaxed now that they were here, suddenly not as frantically rushed as he felt all day.

"Not starving," Annie said, her voice cracked.

"It will keep," he said as he pushed off the door and moved towards her voice.

She met him halfway, launched herself into his arms, captured his lips. Her hands loosened his tie as his worked the zipper at the back of her skirt.

"This might be the best idea you have ever had," she panted as she pulled away from him to get his shirt off and pulled him down on to the bed with her.

***555***

"Seriously, best idea ever," Annie reiterated as she collapsed on top of her husband.

She grinned against his chest as she felt his arms and legs wrap around her, trapping her there.

"I really missed you," he murmured against the top of her head.

"It was obvious," she giggled as her hand trailed along his ribcage.

"I'll be more than happy to continue demonstrating how much, but how about some food?" he suggested as he rolled her under him and then crawled off of her.

"I am definitely hungry now, but I'll get it, there are clothes shoes and furniture between here and there," she kissed his shoulder as she passed him on the huge bed.

"Thanks," he grinned.

"I don't want you to injure yourself before you finish the demonstrating," she replied.

"Using me for my body," she shook his head in mock disgust.

"Well I already used your for your mind this week, brilliant gambit for the intel by the way," she mentioned casually.

"You and Millie work well together, but sometimes I still wish I was your handler."

"I'd rather have you in my bed than my ear," Annie said as she brought a dish of pasta salad with salmon and a fork to the bed.

"Yeah, I was in neither for almost 3 weeks. Millie kept me posted and I was glad to hear from you when I did, but it was definitely the longest we have been out of contact since before….this," he indicated the naked in bed thing.

"Well it is done and I imagine I will be stateside for a while now as we decipher the intel and interrogate the guy," she shimmied next to him on the bed and shared her lunch.

"I don't want to talk about work," Auggie said gently.

Annie nodded, in understanding, and their close proximity allowed him to feel the movement without her speaking. It had been a weird transition, the husband as boss thing. Their lives had shifted so much with either Grace or work always seeming to be the first thing on their lips and while they loved both, Auggie didn't want to spend these couple of solitary hours they had talking about either.

"Did you have any fun in Prague?" he asked as they shared the pasta salad.

"I got to a couple underground galleries, some really cool art. I found a good running trail along the river, everything is in bloom now, it was very pretty. I enjoy Prague, not a bad place to be trapped for 3 weeks. I made friends with a waitress at a café, she was a friendly face. I ate too many pastries as a result, so it was good I found the running trail," she laughed.

"I don't feel too many pastries," Auggie grinned as he examined her body with his hand.

"You look skinny, did you eat at all while I was gone?"

"I did, but anything I ate was instantly burned off chasing Grace," Auggie shrugged.

"I'm so excited to see her," Annie squealed.

"I can have Linda bring her now if you want," Auggie tucked some hair behind her ear, kissed her temple.

"No, no, no, I am nowhere near done with you yet," Annie laughed and leaned over him to put the empty lunch dish on the bedside table.

***555***

Annie was quiet, she was awake as Auggie could feel her eyelashes against his bare stomach, but they were languid, her body relaxed.

"Tired?"

"A little, combination of time zones and you," she pinched his hip.

"Am I that dull?" he teased.

"Dull is not the word I would use."

"I would not be offended if you wanted to take a little power nap, in fact I would be happy to lie here holding you for hours," he scooted down and curled into her body and then he yawned.

"Maybe we should set an alarm, leave ourselves enough time to shower and get dressed," Annie suggested as she reached for Auggie's phone on the nightstand and did just that.

Auggie woke up alone. He heard water and felt his way out of the bed and along a wall to the bathroom.

"You're up?" she said with a smile.

"You were the one who needed a nap," he grinned.

"Apparently not. I just got in, join me, we have time. The tub is ahead at about your 11:00 a couple feet," she directed him and he made his way across the tiled floor.

"There is room for me?" he asked as he gauged the height of the lip.

"There is room for a few people in here," Annie laughed and took his hand helping him in and settling him behind her before relaxing back against him.

Auggie stretched his legs and only had to bend them slightly in the large tub.

"Nice."

"If we don't want to go down to the pool we can just let Grace swim in here," Annie laughed.

***555***

The knock at the door came right at 6:00. Annie was smoothing the duvet back over the bed that had kind of been wrecked by their earlier activities. Auggie answered the door.

"Daddy," Grace cheered and reached out to him from Linda's arms.

"Hi Gracie," Auggie took the girl for a quick snuggle and then turned her around to see the room.

"Mama! Mama!" Grace bounced almost right out of Auggie's arms.

"Hi Sweetie," Annie ran around the bed and across the room to snatch the kid out of Auggie's arms.

Grace wrapped her chubby arms around Annie and rested her head in the crook of her neck as Annie rocked her back and forth.

"I missed you so much," Annie said over and over.

Linda handed off the suitcase with Auggie and Grace's stuff and a few things Auggie packed for Annie too.

"She had a good nap and a big snack, so she should be pretty fun for a while," Linda reported.

"Thanks so much," Annie said as she continued to cuddle her daughter.

"Welcome home Annie. Bye bye Grace," Linda patted the little girl's head and said good-bye to the adults before leaving.

Annie corralled her family over to the sitting area. Auggie sat on the couch, but Annie sunk right to the floor with Grace, settling herself between Auggie's knees, looking at the little girl from top to bottom.

"She looks bigger," Annie declared.

"Mama," she said again reaching for Annie's hair.

"Yeah baby, Mama's here," Annie smiled.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Snapshots # 3 – Grace is 3

"Grace Elizabeth Anderson, where are you?" Auggie turned around listening intently for any sign of the little monster he called his daughter.

Annie came downstairs and did not like the look on her husband's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Where is she?" Auggie seethed.

Annie walked over to him and turned him around, Grace looked like she was going to bolt but Annie looked at her sternly, willed her to stay still. Annie took Auggie's hand and reached it out to touch the little girl's head.

"She was right behind me?" he looked even madder.

"She's just playing Auggie."

"No, I don't think she was. I need to get some fresh air," he stepped out of Annie's grasp, swiped his cane, phone and wallet off the credenza and was out the door before Annie could say anything.

"Grace, that was not nice," Annie sank down on the couch and reached out for the 3 year old.

"I wanted to play hide and seek," she tried to look innocent, but there was a twinkle in her eye that told Annie she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Gracie, you love Daddy, you have to be nice to him. When he asks you where you are you are to answer him, with words, do you understand?"

"Yes," she said her voice small and her eyes veiled by her thick dark lashes, the ones she got from her father.

"Good girl," Annie kissed her curly brown hair.

"Can I have a pop, please?" Grace asked sweetly.

"Sure," Annie led her to the freezer and offered her a variety of frozen fruit bars, "strawberry, mango or pineapple?"

"What's mango?"

"Mango is delicious, want to try it?"

"Yeah," she nodded enthusiastically.

Annie unwrapped the bar as Grace pulled herself up on a bar stool at the counter.

"Is Daddy mad?" Grace asked between licks of the popsicle.

"No honey, he isn't mad, he was scared when he couldn't find you," Annie explained.

Auggie showed so much emotion on his face, Annie could tell how scared he was when she came downstairs, certainly Grace noticed it when he turned around to find her.

***555***

It was just barely dark, not that it mattered to Auggie, but it did mean the sidewalks around their condo were less busy as he stalked out the front door and walked quickly towards the park a couple blocks away. He tried to staunch the nausea he felt and keep his hands from shaking as he paced the quiet neighborhood.

He thought they were over the big hump, Grace was close to fully verbal, she could ask for and articulate her needs to him without a problem. No more guessing what she might be pointing at and screaming. No fear of accidently giving her something to eat that she hates or handing her one of the seemingly endless array of identical stuffed animals only to have her throw it on the floor with a wail.

She was a happy child and bright, her vocabulary doubling and tripling by the day. She picked flowers and liked butterflies, she was affectionate and kind. Or she was, until she turned 3 last month.

Suddenly some demon had taken over their previously adorable daughter and replaced her with a child who knowingly did mean things. There was a difference though between eating Auggie's potato chips off his plate without asking and willfully hiding in plain sight. Well, what would be plain sight for a normal father.

Auggie looped around the block and felt slightly better as he approached the house. He opened the front door and heard Annie saying something about how much she liked mangoes before Grace squealed.

"Daddy!" and scuttled towards him.

"Grace," he said tightly and she halted right in front of him.

He folded his cane and walked around her to place it on the credenza.

"I'm sorry," she looked at her shoes and Annie saw Auggie's shoulders droop.

"Oh little G," he held out a hand and the little girl took it.

He leaned down and picked her up, kissed her cheek.

"You taste like mangoes," he smiled and she giggled.

***555***

"I read an article the other day," Annie mentioned as she made her way to bed that night. "It was called 'Three Year olds are Assholes'."

That got Auggie's attention and he turned his head towards her.

"That might be a little harsh," he laughed sourly.

"She is starting to understand how people interact, she is testing boundaries, but she doesn't really understand consequences yet."

"I wonder how she would feel about the boundaries of boarding school," Auggie snorted.

"She'll grow out of this, she'll be the sweet little girl she was before, again," Annie promised as she slipped into bed.

Auggie reached for her and was met by silk and skin.

"What's this?" he grinned.

"Thought you might need a little relaxation," she straddled his lap, placed her hands on his chest.

"Not everything can be solved with sex, Annie," his voice said the words, but his hands were on her thighs and she could see the desire in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, what have you done with my husband?" Annie teased and settled on his lap eliciting a soft moan.

"Your husband was bested by a pre-schooler tonight," Auggie sighed and leaned forward to place a kiss on her shoulder.

She buried her fingers in his hair, held his head to her chest, leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"What do you need?"

"Just you, just this," he answered before capturing her lips with his own.

She takes kiss after kiss, scraping her nails along his scalp, finding the spot behind his left ear that makes him shudder, turns him feral. He lays her out in front of him, peeling the silk from her body, his fingers teasing along her skin.

Annie melts back into the mattress as Auggie takes one of her legs and kisses along the length of it, hooking it over his shoulder, kissing further until her fingers clutch at the sheets and her hips arch up under his mouth.

Annie wasn't trying to placate him with sex, but she knew that a little sense of control might knock him out of the funk his run in with Grace had put him in.

"I know what you are doing," Auggie said as he kissed his way up her torso while Annie caught her breath.

"Right now, not much more than trying to get some oxygen to my brain," she laughed.

"I love you Annie," he kissed her and scooped her up, his long arms supporting her back.

He sat back against the headboard, bringing her with him, face to face, chest to chest. She moved against him, slow at first, with increased passion as he whispered over and over how sexy she was.

***555***

Annie woke the next morning, draped over Auggie's body, a sheet tugged up to cover them. She opened one eye and was staring right at Grace, who stood by the side of the bed, her teddy bear in hand. Annie startled at first to see the child there unexpectantly, but her next thought was how very naked she and Auggie were under the thin sheet.

"Grace, go back to bed honey, it is too early to be up," Annie said when she saw the clock read 6:09 on a Saturday morning.

"I want to sleep with you," she said with a tired little smile.

Annie and Auggie had done a good job of keeping Grace out of their bed, they did plenty of cuddling on the couch and in her little twin bed, but Mommy and Daddy's bed was for Mommy and Daddy. Unless of course one of them was not home, then they would sneak the little one in for a story or two.

"Go get a book and your blanket and we'll go down to the couch so Daddy can sleep," Annie offered.

"OK," Grace said and retreated.

Annie slipped out of bed and found some real pajamas in the dresser, folding the tiny slip of silk she hardly wore the night before back into a drawer. She brushed her teeth and put her hair in a ponytail. She kissed Auggie who murmured and rolled over.

Grace returned with the requested items and Annie took her little hand in her own and brought her downstairs, closing the bedroom door to assure Auggie some extra sleep.

Annie rearranged the pillows on the couch to make a little bed for them and tucked the girl into her side with the small blanket over both of them. Annie read the book about an elephant looking all over the world for her Mommy, it was a sweet sad story that made Annie's heart clench at times, but Grace loved it and knew a lot of the words and added her adorable observations.

By the end of the book she was yawning and Annie rubbed her back until she fell back to sleep. Annie had lots of concerns about balancing her family and her job, but she certainly seemed to be able to sooth her husband and daughter, to comfort them and make them feel safe and loved. That was a pretty significant win as far as she was concerned.

She woke to Auggie's hand stroking her hair back and his lips on her forehead.

"Hey," she whispered noticing Grace's eyes still closed.

"Hey," he lifted her and Grace just enough to wedge his body into their warm sleepy pile.

He put his feet up on the coffee table and settled Annie and Grace back onto his lap.

"This is cozy," Annie smiled.

"I was lonely up there by myself," he admitted.

"Our bed was not appropriate for children this morning," she smirked.

"Oh yeah," he said with a nod.

"You feeling better this morning?"

"Depends, do we have angel Grace or devil Grace today?"

Annie looked at their daughter, her sweet cherubic face and her heart hurt as the response on the tip of her tongue, even after all these years with Auggie, was 'look at her, she's an angel' she actually choked on the words.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Nothing, sorry. She's been a doll this morning," Annie covered.

TBC…

NOTE: That article Annie referenced, I didn't make that up:  sarah-fader/threeyearolds-are-asshole_b_ 


	4. Chapter 4

Grace is 4 (I imagine you are getting the swing of this now, Chapter # = Grace's age….)

"Annie?" A nurse came out to the waiting room.

"Yes," Annie stood and handed her crayon to Grace.

"You sure you don't want me to come?" Auggie asked as he listened to the scratch of wax on paper coming from the 4 year old.

"I'll send for you if we need you," Annie said and kissed his cheek before disappearing into an exam room.

"Daddy?" Grace piped up. "Is mommy going to have a baby?"

Auggie froze. He and Annie had whispered about the possibility that she was pregnant a couple times, but always after Grace was asleep.

"Why do you ask Peanut?"

She crawled up on the hard plastic chair next to him and spoke in his ear in a hushed tone.

"All the women here are having babies, they have babies in their tummies and there are pictures of babies on the walls. Are we getting a baby?"

Auggie was in awe of the youngster's observational skills, but kind of at a loss for an answer.

"I don't know honey, maybe," he shrugged.

"How would Mommy get a baby in her tummy?" Grace asked, her hands were layered on his shoulder and she rested her head there for a second.

Auggie turned towards her and kissed her nose trying to gather his wits about him.

"Magic," he answered.

***555***

"I saw Grace earlier when I walked by, she is adorable," Dr. Fuller mentioned as she snapped on some gloves.

"Thanks," Annie smiled warmly, "we like her."

"Enough to have another? Last time I saw you the plan as to stick with the one."

"Oh that is the plan," Annie laughed nervously.

"Ah, so this is potentially a curveball?"

"I was on a pretty high dose antibiotic a couple months ago. We used back up birth control, but now I worry that we stopped too soon or it might have failed. I am late and while I haven't been as sick as I was with Grace I have been a little nauseated," Annie reported.

Annie failed to mention that the antibiotics came after an exposure to an unknown pathogen that left her in an unresponsive state for 2 days in a military facility in Germany and sent Auggie into sheer panic. When she recovered and came home he hadn't let her out of his "sight" for a week, a week that involved an awful lot of sex.

"OK, let's find out what we can find out," Dr. Fuller gently lifted Annie's legs into the stirrups.

***555***

"Magic?" Grace asked, skeptical.

"It is a kind of magic that Mommies and Daddies do," Auggie could feel a bead of sweat on the back of his neck, how was he getting out of this one.

"Oh," Grace said, "I didn't know."

She hopped down then and continued coloring. Auggie hung his head and smiled, kids were constantly surprising. He was certain he had a long convoluted story ahead of him and she just accepted magic as the answer, he knew it wasn't always going to be that easy. If Annie was pregnant they would need a better explanation.

Auggie wasn't sure how he felt about Annie being pregnant, part of him was thrilled, part of him was anxious. They had a pretty normal life right now, all things considered, a baby would certainly cause a little chaos. He remembered those early days of holding Grace so close, so peaceful, it wouldn't be the worst thing to go through again he grinned.

"All done Daddy," Grace announced.

"Tell me about the picture," he instructed.

Grace scrabbled up on the chair and wiggled under his arm. She held the paper in front of them and put his hand on it, the one that was not curled around her tiny shoulder. He could feel more wax than paper which indicated that Grace was still in her color all the white space phase.

"So the bottom is green for grass, do you know what grass looks like?" she asked.

"I can remember grass and I know it tickles my feet when we run around barefoot," he tickled her and she yelped.

"The top is blue for sky. I love when the sky is blue," she said wistfully.

"It means you can play outside," Auggie assessed.

"Yeah, and everything is sparkly."

Auggie was constantly surprised by his daughter, the details she noticed and the way she described things to him.

"What else is in the picture?" he said as he cleared the emotion from his throat.

"Flowers, lots of pink ones, Mommy likes pink flowers," Grace explained.

Auggie assumed Annie liked pink flowers, but he knew for a fact that she really loved yellow flowers.

"Does Grace also like pink flowers?" he asked.

"Maybe," she shrugged and he felt the motion under his hand.

"I think she does," Auggie smiled.

"All done," Annie snuck up on them.

Auggie instantly reached for her hand. They had a long standing code for silent communication, 1 squeeze was yes and 2 was no. She squeezed his hand twice and he found he was disappointed.

"Mommy, are you sick?" Grace asked and Auggie found it odd that she didn't ask Annie about a baby.

"No sweetie, Mommy is fine."

"Can we get ice cream?" she bounced to a different topic.

"It's time for dinner," Annie grinned.

"Can we have ice cream for dinner?" Grace volleyed.

Annie smiled remembering several dinners with Danielle that consisted primarily of ice cream.

"No, but if you eat a good dinner you can have some ice cream for dessert," Annie was feeling generous.

"Then let's go," Grace stood up and reached for Annie's hand.

Annie took Grace's hand with hers and brushed the other against Auggie's arm.

***555***

As dinner finished up Annie noticed Grace had eaten all her vegetables with no argument and she herself had warmed to the idea of ice cream.

"I think we can have ice cream," she announced.

Cheers from Grace.

"I'll go get it," Auggie offered.

"I'll go with you," Grace hopped off her chair.

"How about you stay here and help your mother clean up from dinner?" Auggie suggested.

"How will you get there?"

"I'm going to walk, it's not far."

"How will you find it?" she asked innocently.

"Grace, we have been to Dylan's tons of times," he laughed.

"But I always bring you," Grace explained and Auggie tried not to laugh at the little girl.

"And I appreciate when you help me Grace, but I can get there by myself," he promised.

"How?" she was genuinely curious.

"I go left out the door and it is 2 blocks, so I cross two streets, then it is 15 steps ahead after the 2nd street," he told her.

"How do you know it is 15 steps?"

"I count."

"Every time?" she was astonished.

"Every time," Auggie confirmed.

"Wow, you must be so smart Daddy," she shook her head, sending her pig tails flying and Annie laughed.

"Daddy has some skills, now what kind of ice cream do you want?" Annie asked.

"Mommy, I always get strawberry," Grace told her poor addled mother.

"Just checking," Annie held up her hands in mock surrender.

"Strawberry for the short one and peach for me please," Annie placed her order with Auggie.

"Got it," he nodded and set off as Grace carried her plate to the kitchen to begin the dishes.

"Thanks for helping Grace," Annie said as they loaded the dishwasher.

"You're welcome. Are we getting a baby?" she asked out of the blue.

"Um, why do you ask that Grace?" Annie stuttered, flummoxed by the 4 year old.

"We went to the baby doctor, did you and dadyy make abay with magic?"

"Magic?" Annie grinned.

"Daddy said babies are magic."

"He did did he? Well, no Grace we are not having a baby. "

"Oh, OK," she shrugged.

Annie wondered how grace felt about that, she had never asked for a sibling, but she was only 4, would she want one some day?

When Auggie returned he clearly had more than ice cream in the giant bag he carried, but the ice cream was doled out first. Then he reached in and produced a huge bunch of yellow tulips and an adorable bunch of pink daisies.

"For me?" Grace's eyes went wide when she saw the pink flowers.

"For you," Auggie held them out.

"Can I put them in my room?" Grace asked Annie.

"Of course, let's find a vase for them so we can give them some water."

"Thank you Daddy," Grace hugged his legs.

"Yes, thank you Daddy," Annie kissed him before taking both bunches of flowers off to find vases.

"Hurry back or I might eat all the ice cream," he warned.

***555***

"You OK?" Auggie asked when Annie slipped into bed that night.

"Yeah, there was a tiny part of me that wanted another baby, but it was small and I am totally OK that there is no baby," Annie assured him.

"Good."

"You?"

"Same. I was a little sad, Grace is growing up so fast," he lamented.

"Yeah and now that she knows where babies come from…." Annie grinned.

"She told you," he blushed.

"I thought it was adorable and not a total lie, it does kind of seem like magic," she kissed his chest and he held her closer.

"So what did the doctor say?" Auggie asked unsure what was causing Annie's symptoms if it wasn't a pregnancy.

"She said depending on the antibiotics I received and with my erratic travel schedule I probably just threw my cycle off, the hormones from the birth control pill ineffective on the antibiotics and the nausea could just be a reaction to the drugs. Of course we know the nausea could be a lingering side effect of the pathogen," Annie grimaced remembering how sick she was in Germany.

Auggie nodded and was quiet.

"I'm fine Auggie," she looked up and saw the concern on his face.

"I know," he smiled, but it was sad.

"How did you find out where babies came from?" Annie tried to lighten the mood.

"I was the 5th boy, my brothers told me in graphic detail long before I probably should have known," he shuddered. "You?"

"My mother gave me a book and told me to read about it, I was 12. All I could think when I was done was that my parents had to have done that at least twice and I was horrified."

"So Grace will think we only ever had sex once," Auggie laughed.

"Unless she remembers that time she walked in on us," Annie grimaced.

"That might be the only time we have stopped before we were done," he cringed.

"I had never seen you so embarrassed."

"Her little voice asking if you were OK," Auggie started laughing.

"I woke her up," Annie hid her face against Auggie's shoulder, shaking with laughter.

"You know," he began and turned on his side, dislodging Annie onto her back.

"Yeah?"

"All this talk about where babies come from…." He trailed a hand along the side of her thin tank top.

"When a mommy and a daddy really love each other…." Annie began in her best school teacher voice.

"I really love you," he interrupted her with a kiss.

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

"It's my birthday!" Grace called as she trampled down the stairs.

"It is?" Auggie asked as he looked up from his coffee.

"Yes, we are having a party, remember?" she said as if her father were daft.

"Here? We're having a party here? But I was planning on taking a nap," he grinned.

"You're joking Daddy," she shook her head.

"I am."

"Where is Mommy?"

"She had to get some things for the party."

"Like the cake?" Grace was right beside him now and he scooped her up onto his lap.

"Yes, like the cake," he hugged her.

"Do you remember when I was born?"

"I will never forget it."

"Were you there?" she asked with awe as if he had witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

"I was, I held your mommy's hand the whole time. I heard you the very first time you cried."

"You can remember way back 5 years? Why can't I remember it?"

"I can't remember when I was born, babies don't remember those things, but grown-ups remember a lot more. When you are my age you will remember things from 5, 10, 20 years before," he explained.

"No way," she shook her head.

"Yep, Daddy is an old old man," Auggie chuckled .

"Can I get dressed now?" Grace asked, eager to put on her dress.

"Breakfast first, you need to have some real food before the party. Want eggs or oatmeal?"

"Eggs please," she slid off his lap and into her own seat at the table.

"Coming right up," he promised.

***555***

Annie opened the door and scanned the first floor, no sign of Grace so she snuck all the surprises in at once. She placed the cake on the counter and tied the balloons to a chair so they wouldn't float up to the skylight. The rest of the surprises fell into place just in time as a giggling little girl approached.

"Daddy, you can't wear those," she shrieked and ran downstairs and right into her grandmother.

"Gramma!" everything was a little loud today. "Auntie Danielle!"

"Happy Birthday Grace," Chloe and Katia flocked to the little girl.

Auggie appeared at the top of the stairs with several pink flower barrettes in his hair.

"Well don't you look adorable?" Annie smirked.

Auggie came down to greet everyone and Annie reached over and removed the barrettes for him. Annie and Auggie had talked to all the relatives who arrived the night before, but they managed to keep their presence a secret from Grace. The birthday girl was taking Chloe and Katia on a tour, the teenagers were more than happy to play with their little cousin leaving the grown-ups to chat and prepare for the party.

***555***

Several kids from Grace's class were there as well as Hollman's 3 year old boy that all the little girls doted on.

"I'm trying to keep on top of the mess, but be extra careful," Annie whispered to her husband who was pouring a glass of wine for one of the moms.

"I've kind of barricaded myself back here," he admitted.

"Smart man, out of the way of the maelstrom and close to the booze," she turned his chin towards her and he puckered in anticipation of the kiss she was planning to give him any way.

"Can I help with anything?" Chloe appeared.

"You could stop growing," Annie asked her niece the impossible.

"Starting senior year," Chloe grinned.

"That is insane, I remember when you were in 3rd grade. How old am I?" Auggie asked.

"No one answer that, he is my baby and if he is old that makes me ancient," Joyce laughed.

"Did you talk to your mom about Georgetown?" Annie asked quietly.

Chloe had wanted to apply to Georgetown early admission, but Danielle was trying to convince her that Stanford or Berkeley were a better fit. Annie knew part of it was just distance, but Annie couldn't help but wonder if Danielle was worried about her daughter following in her aunt's footsteps.

"I got the application in right at the deadline, she caved," Chloe grinned. "Now I have to get in."

"Let me know," Annie hung an arm around her oldest niece.

"You'll be my first call."

"We'd love to have you close by," Auggie added.

"I'm sure that was why she agreed," Chloe nodded.

"She wants what you want, it is hard for her to accept that you are so grown up. Hell, I am having trouble with Grace going to Kindergarten."

"She's super cute," Chloe looked out at Grace who was playing pin the tail on the donkey.

"She had a pretty solid gene pool," Barber joined them and reached past Auggie for a beer.

"Stop hitting on my wife," Auggie growled.

"Never," Barber grinned.

"Not sure when being your boss is going to kick in," Auggie pondered.

"In all seriousness, you guys made a beautiful child and she is as smart and funny as you both, that's pretty impressive. Cheers," Barber proposed a toast.

"Thank you Eric," Annie said.

"I'm going to go play pin the tail on the donkey, I got this in the bag," Auggie smirked.

***555***

"Happy birthday dear Gra-ace…" everyone sang and the little girl's eyes were huge as the song swelled to its big conclusion.

She blew out the 5 candles in one go without spitting on her adorable Hello Kitty cake too much. And instead of insisting on the first piece of cake she helped Annie hand out cake to everyone, thanking each person for coming to her party.

"Oh my God," Danielle mouthed the words over her head for Annie to see.

Annie just nodded, a huge grin on her face, her daughter was pretty damn adorable. Annie and Grace finally sat down with their own cake, Auggie leaned over Annie's shoulder and ran a finger threw the pile of extra frosting he knew would be on the edge of her plate.

"Hey, you already had some," she giggled.

"You want it?" he whispered in her ear and she blushed, but turned her head and licked the frosting from his finger.

"Mmmm," she purred, his finger still in her mouth.

He removed his fingers and kissed her more chastely than he would have in private and less chastely than he probably should have in a room full of people.

"Um, Annie?" Danielle laughed and Annie realized where they were.

"They kiss all the time," Grace shook her head in disgust.

"We do?" Annie asked the five year old.

"Constantly," she put her head in her hands.

"That's because Mommy and I love each other, and we love you too. We kiss you all the time," Auggie reached past Annie and made kissing noises at Grace.

"Daddy," she squealed.

"I think there are enough children here," Annie reprimanded her husband, but his face, in full over-exaggerated pucker was just too adorable, so she kissed him once more just for good measure.

***555***

Grace opened a pile of presents from friends and family, clothes for school and dolls and games. When the pile was depleted Annie tugged on Auggie's sleeve.

"It's time," she said.

"Hey Little G, your mom and I have one more present for you," Auggie announced.

She scurried over.

"What is it?" she asked, distracted by her dad long enough for Annie to wheel the present in from behind the stairs where she had stashed it.

"Turn around," Annie instructed as she lowered the kickstand.

"It's beautiful," Grace said in awe of the iridescent pink bike with the sparkly pink handlebar tassels.

"Do you like it?" Annie asked when Grace made no move towards the bike.

"It's big," she said concerned.

"Well you are getting big too Peanut," Auggie explained.

"It only has 2 wheels," she looked a little nervous.

"We kept your training wheels if you need them, but we thought you might like to try it like this first," Annie said gently.

Grace reached up then and found Auggie's hand.

"You'll help, right, Daddy?" her voice was so little.

"I'll always help, Grace," he promised.

***555***

After everyone had left, the mess was cleaned up and Grace was bathed and calmed down enough for sleep, Annie snuck into the kitchen. Auggie went looking for her and heard the telltale sign of a bakery box being opened.

"Do we have mice?" he asked with a smile.

"No mice, but I never got to finish my cake earlier," she said as she tasted the hot pink frosting.

"I believe that was my fault," he looked guileless.

"Yes, it was," she said with a grin as she sealed up the box and put it back in the fridge.

"It was good cake. It was a good party," Auggie assessed.

"All in all, a success I would say," Annie agreed around a mouthful of cake. "Wow, this is good cake."

"So we survived the first 5 years of parenthood," Auggie said out of the blue.

"We did. I never thought this was going to be my life, it's amazing though, every minute of it, because of you."

"Because of us," Auggie corrected and reached for her.

She moved into his arms, not relinquishing her paper plate of cake.

"You want cake?" she asked suddenly breathless in his arms.

"No," he shook his head and instead attached his lips to her neck, "just you. You are so sweet."

"I'm finishing this piece of cake," she laughed.

"Take your time," he mumbled against her neck as his hands slid under her shirt.

"This cake is really gggood," she stuttered on the last word as Auggie took her ear lobe in his mouth.

"You feel really good," he said in her ear and backed her up against the granite counter behind her, pressed his body against hers.

"Screw the cake," she decided and dropped the plate on the counter before wrapping her arms around his neck.

He laughed and picked her up, wrapped her legs around his waist and moved towards the couch.

"Nnnnoo," her voice shook, "Bed. Door. Locks."

"The bed is so far away," he whined and changed course for the dining room.

There was no door to the dining room, but it was out of the direct sight line from the stairs and hopefully if Grace did wake they would hear her before she saw them. All of that was running through Annie's head as she tried to undo Auggie's pants.

"I know it hasn't been just the two of us for 5 years," Auggie began as he stripped her shirt off over her head, "but a house full of company, all day, I didn't get to touch you nearly enough," he grinned as his mouth found a silk covered breast.

"I remember days in Niue when we never bothered putting clothes on," she sighed and arched her back at his touch.

"Yeah, just you, me and Hank," Auggie laughed as he laid her back against the table.

***555***

"I really want that cake now," Annie laughed as she pealed her back off the dining room table.

"I'll get it," Auggie kissed her and rummaged around on the floor for his boxers.

She should have given him some direction, but ever since the first night they had taken each other's clothes off, she had really enjoyed watching him find them when they were done. Annie stretched and found Auggie's shirt, slipping it on her body.

She sat on the end of the table, legs dangling when Auggie arrived with a much larger piece of cake than she had cut earlier.

"Hungry?" she grinned.

"Yes," he nodded and sat in the chair in front of her.

She fed him cake and they slowly ate the entire wedge, his fingers danced over her legs as her toes teased along his bare torso. When the cake was gone she kissed him deeply, tongues sweet with sugar and slick from frosting.

"Bed," he nearly growled.

"I'll be right there," she promised.

He kissed her again, grabbed a few more items of clothing from the floor and headed for the stairs.

Annie finished cleaning up after them, turned off the lights and headed up after him.

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

Note: Thanks for the reviews! For those of you asking about Joan, Arthur and MacKenzie at Grace's birthday (or anywhere in the story)….this universe began before MacKenzie was born on the show (went AU at 406). In this universe: Joan's little boy is Jacob, she & Arthur did not reconcile and she is still DCS making her the overt head of the CIA who cannot go to the house of 2 Covert Operatives when there are regular moms there for a b-day party. She will still appear, but trying to keep it as realistic as possible. Here is Grace, age 6.

***555***

Auggie tapped on the glass of the Tech Ops cube.

"Hey guys," he greeted and was met with resounding silence.

"I know someone is here, I can hear at least 2 distinct breathing patterns, one of which is Barber."

"That is freakish, you know that right?" Barber replied.

"And hiding from your blind boss is suspect, what's up? Is Annie back yet, we have to leave," Auggie asked.

"Let me begin by saying, Annie is fine, now."

"Now? Was there a time today when Annie was not fine?" Auggie asked calmly.

"Yes," Millie answered.

"She's in Baltimore, what could have happened in Baltimore?" Auggie puzzled.

"Have you never seen The Wire?" Barber joked.

"I have a 6 year old, about to make her stage debut as a sea turtle in the 1st grade production of Underwater Excitement or something ridiculous like that and she is expecting her mother to be there. So please fill me in on my wife's whereabouts," Auggie crossed his arms and gave his best Captain Anderson stance.

"The abandoned warehouse we sent her to investigate," Millie began.

"Let me guess, not so abandoned," Auggie pinched the bridge of his nose to staunch the inevitable headache.

"She was detained, but your wife is badass and she took down the creep eventually, but she is running a little behind schedule," Barber uselessly held up his thumb and forefinger to indicate the little bit behind schedule.

"Is she hurt?"

"Not badly, although she said she was trying to apply make up to cover a couple visible bruises before getting to the school, she will meet you there, I have already arranged a car for you," Millie babbled.

"Why didn't I know about this until now?" Auggie asked suddenly.

"You were in with Joan on the Kazakhstan thing most of the day," Barber reminded him.

"Right."

"And we had it under control," Millie assured.

"Sounds like Annie had it under control," Auggie arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, mostly it was her," Millie agreed.

"OK, I am off to the theatre," he said with a dramatic flourish and turned to leave.

***555***

"Mr. Anderson?" a young female voice to his left.

"Yes?" he smiled.

"I'm Lucy Arronson, the aide in Grace's class, nice to meet you," she stood there awkwardly not sure if she should shake his hand or wave or pat him on the arm.

Auggie ended the discomfort by extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you. How did you know it was me, did this give me away?" he held up the white cane.

"That would have done it I suppose, but I saw you across the room, Grace looks just like you," she said.

That struck Auggie for a second, lots of people, including Annie had said the little girl resembled him, but to hear it from someone who had never seen him before was stunning.

"Poor kid," Auggie joked.

"She's adorable," Lucy gushed and then felt completely embarrassed at the inadvertent compliment she had just paid this man. "Is your wife here?" Lucy quickly changed the subject.

"On her way, she was tied up in Baltimore today, traffic," Auggie waved a hand like that was a perfectly normal reason for being late, leaving out the fact that she was literally tied up.

"Would you like me to show you to some seats, you could text her your location," Lucy offered.

"That would be great, thank you," Auggie reached out and found her arm.

"How about a couple rows back, then if Mrs. Anderson is late she can slip in?" Lucy offered.

"Perfect," Auggie smiled.

"There are only 4 seats on each side of the aisle, so I'll put you in the last one and we can save the next one for your wife."

Auggie folded his cane and used that to hold the seat, thanked Lucy and assured her he would be fine.

***555***

Annie slipped in as the piano started up and a bunch of kindergarteners dressed as seaweed shuffled onto the stage. She saw Auggie's head quickly and went along the far side of the aisle so she came up next to him, squeezing his shoulder. He shifted his legs out so she could move past him and take the seat he saved. He swiveled his legs back towards her, leaning close and kissing her gently.

"You OK?" he whispered and she nodded knowing he could feel her move.

The play was silly and cute, Grace gave her couple of lines quietly but accurately and Annie reached for Auggie's hand, squeezing it in disbelief that their little girl was six now. All the parents stood at the end as their little sea creatures took their bow, the lights came up and Annie became nervous her make-up job might not be sufficient under the scrutiny of other parents.

"Let's give Grace 10 minutes to mingle with her friends," Annie said quietly.

"Sure," he nodded.

"It hurts to smile," she mentioned as she poured a cup of coffee from the refreshment table, took a sip and shared it with Auggie.

"Do you need a doctor?" he asked.

"I don't think so, you should be able to fix me up at home," she replied in his ear.

"Mommy!" Grace yelled and barreled towards Annie.

Annie braced herself for impact and managed to scoop up her constantly growing little girl and shift her to the less injured side of her body.

"What about me?" Auggie asked mock-offended and reached to take Grace's weight from Annie.

"Daddy!" Grace repeated her enthusiasm for his benefit.

"Much better," he smiled and tickled her.

"You were so good Gracie," Annie praised the little girl as she finger-combed her hair back in place since she removed her turtle headpiece.

"It was fun," Grace giggled.

"What did you learn?" Auggie asked.

"That the ocean is a beautiful place and we have to take care of it so all the animals can live there," she informed.

"Very good," Annie pinched her cheek.

"Grace, you were an excellent sea turtle," Grace's teacher approached.

"Hello Mrs. Danvers, the show was very cute," Annie smiled and tried not to wince.

"Thank you, so good to see you both, Grace was nervous you might not make it," the older woman mentioned.

"You were?" Annie said trying not to let on how close she actually came to missing it.

"Sometimes you work late or you go on a trip," Grace shrugged.

"Oh sweetie, Mommy and Daddy will always try to be here for everything we can," Annie promised.

"Grace, you forgot the picture you drew today," Lucy Arronson appeared again and handed Annie the drawing.

"Is this us sweetie?" she asked.

"Yes," Grace nodded.

"Am I taller than Daddy?" Annie asked intrigued.

"You had high heels on," Grace explained.

"They would have to be really high for me to be taller than Daddy, this is as high as I get," Annie held out her foot to show off the 4 inch Louboutins and noticed the purple bruise wrapping around her ankle.

"Are you OK?" Mrs. Danvers gasped.

"I turned it rushing to the car earlier, guess it is worse than I thought," Annie cringed at drawing attention to herself, but she had really blocked out the pain in her ankle.

"We should probably get you home so you can put that up," Auggie suggested and put Grace down, "Go say good-bye to your friends Gracie."

The teacher and her aide moved on to another group of parents and Annie stepped into Auggie's arms, shifted some of her weight to him.

"You gonna make it?"

"Now that I looked at it it hurts," she chuckled into his shoulder.

He felt her flinch when his hand brushed her ribs and Auggie began to wonder just how bad a scuffle she had been in in Baltimore. Luckily Grace made quick work of her good-byes and was ready to leave.

"Can you drive?" Auggie asked quietly, knowing she had driven all the way from Baltimore.

"Yeah, it's the other foot," she assured him.

***555***

Dinner was pizza in front of the 10,000th viewing of Frozen. Auggie had some high octane Ibuprofen that took the edge off enough for Annie to eat with her ankle elevated and iced, but Auggie could hear the pain and exhaustion in her voice.

"Mommy, will you read me a story?" Grace asked as bed time approached.

"How about I read you a story?" Auggie offered.

"You can't read my books," Grace reminded him.

"Well how about I read you one of my books?" Auggie offered.

"I don't think she wants to hear about relational databases," Annie teased.

Auggie smirked, happy she had the energy for a joke.

"I have other books," he replied.

"OK," Grace shrugged and threw herself on Annie for a goodnight hug.

"Good night sweetie," Annie fought the pain and managed a smile and a kiss.

"Go up and get your pajamas on, I'll be right there," Auggie instructed.

Auggie cleared the last few things from dinner and then returned to the couch and scooped Annie up in his arms like she weighed nothing.

"Auggie," she cautioned.

"I got you," he promised and moved slowly and cautiously around the couch.

Annie kept a keen eye out to make sure he didn't whack her ankle against the railing or the wall, but he maneuvered them up the stairs and to the bedroom without incident.

"I can take it from here," she assured him as he placed her gingerly on her good foot.

"OK, don't fall asleep in the tub please, I'll be right along after I get the sea turtle to sleep," he promised her with a kiss.

***555***

"You don't have a book," Grace accused as Auggie entered her room.

She had put her pajamas on and assured him she brushed her teeth by blowing her minty breath in his face.

"I have the story memorized," he promised.

"Which story?"

"All the stories," he grinned.

"You know ALL the stories?" she asked, dubious.

"Yep," he promised as he found the edge of her bed and tackled her.

"Do you know Frozen?" Grace asked earnestly.

"We just watched it for the 743rd time, I think I could recite it word for word," Auggie sighed.

"OK," Grace sat up and grabbed her stuffed Olaf.

"The abridged version," Auggie relented and couldn't see the look of confusion at the word abridged.

Auggie launched into the story of Elsa and Anna and he could feel Grace sink down into the pillows as she got sleepy, her head finding its way against his side. As he began to extract himself from the tiny bed, she stirred.

"Daddy," her sleepy little voice piped up.

"Yes?" he said fearing she would want him to finish the story.

"You and Mommy aren't going to die are you?" she whispered it as if saying it out loud would make it true.

Auggie cursed the people at Disney for constantly killing off the parents in movies.

"Oh Peanut, we aren't going anywhere," he skirted the issue.

"Who hurt Mommy?"

"What do you mean, sweetie?" he asked trying to buy time.

"She's got boo boos on her face and her ankle is all purple," Grace was much more observant than Auggie gave her credit for, he thought they had covered so well.

***555***

Auggie made it through the door to their bedroom, closing it behind him and sinking to the floor against it, trying to swallow his sobs. Annie hobbled out of the bathroom after her bath to find him there.

"What happened?" she said and startled him.

"Sorry," he swiped at his eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked and got herself down on the floor despite her sore ribs.

"I just lied to our daughter and not like a cute lie like the Tooth Fairy is real, but outright lied to her about how you got hurt," Auggie said and sucked in gulps of air to ward off the nausea he wanted to succumb to.

"It's OK," Annie pulled him close, stroked his hair, kissed his cheek.

"She's afraid we're going to die."

"Stupid Disney movie, all kids are afraid their parents are going to die Auggie, it's part of growing up," she promised.

"She asked how you got hurt and I told her you were in a car accident, then she called me out because the car was fine, so I told her you were in someone else's car and the lies just kept compounding," he shook his head in defeat.

"It's OK, hey, seriously, it's OK," she pulled his chin towards her, kissed him softly.

"I'm OK," she assured him knowing where most of his anxiety was really coming from.

"You were in Baltimore Annie. I just, this wasn't on my radar."

"I know. And I know I married an Eagle Scout and an Army Captain and a guy who likes to be prepared for every possibility, but life isn't always so predictable, especially our lives," she laughed mirthlessly.

"I know."

"But right now, tonight, I am fine. I am right here and I believe someone was promising to wrap my ankle," she tried to distract him with a task.

"Yeah," he blew out a full breath and scrubbed his hands over his face.

He stood then and helped her to her feet, Kissed her until she made a little squeaking noise in the back of her throat, then he let her lean on him over to the bed and settled her comfortably against some pillows before setting off to the find the first aid kit.

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

"Mrs. Anderson, may I have some potato salad please?" little Jenny Watkins asked.

"Of course you may," Annie smiled and scooped a spoonful on the little girl's plate.

"Dad, why is Barber still in the back yard?" Grace asked.

"Because Eric Barber likes his food burnt, when everyone else's is done he needs 5 more minutes," Auggie said loud enough for the intended recipient.

"I can hear you," Barber yelled from the grill.

Jenny and Grace giggled.

"Boys, you are both pretty, stop fighting," Annie negotiated.

Auggie looked at her, hurt on his face, and she leaned over and whispered in his ear to assure him she still thought he was the prettiest.

"That's better," he murmured and kissed her cheek.

The girls giggled again.

"Something funny?" Auggie asked with his most serious voice, the giggling stopped.

Then Annie started giggling. He turned on her again.

"Sorry, but you sounded silly being all serious," Annie pointed out.

"Wow, it is just like at work," Barber grinned as he finally joined them on the deck.

"No respect, I get no respect," Auggie lamented.

"Sorry Rodney Dangerfield, we respect you but you are also fun to tease," Annie shrugged.

"Girls, teasing is mean and you should not do it to people you love," Auggie informed.

The girls giggled.

"I think I figured out the soundtrack for tonight," Auggie slipped a hand under the table and cupped it around Annie's bare knee.

It was a perfect spring evening, the skies still blue, the air fresh and warm, a slight breeze. Spring was short in DC, summer generally arriving before scheduled so the Andersons and friends were having a cook out with some games in the back yard and a sleep over for Grace. At the same time the adults were monitoring an escalating situation in Mexico City that might need their attention.

"Mom, why didn't you invite a friend for today?" Grace asked.

"What do you mean sweetie?"

"I invited Jenny and Dad invited Barber, you should have invited a friend," Grace shrugged.

"Yeah Annie, you should have invited a single friend," Barber clarified.

Annie just grinned.

"Barber is my friend too, guess I didn't think of it," she said casually, but really she was thinking she didn't actually have that many friends.

She considered Joan a friend, but with Jenny there she couldn't risk her or her mom, who may drop by, recognizing her. How do you explain having the DCS of the CIA over for hamburgers? She had coworkers she was friendly with, but they were younger and single and unlike Barber not drawn enough to food to spend a day in the back yard. Annie sometimes wondered what her life would be like now if she had gone into education or community service instead of intelligence, but then she realized she never would have met Auggie and none of it matters.

***555***

"I just need a few practice tosses," Auggie assured Jenny as they discussed a game of ladder ball.

"Once he gets the motion down, I just make sure he is pointed in the right direction," Annie explained how her blind husband can play the game.

"OK, you two against us 3?" Barber proposed and everyone agreed.

Annie and Eric set up the plastic ladders while Auggie helped the girls untangle the roped balls. Annie helped Auggie with the practice tosses and Eric and the girls went first. Grace snagged a lower rung, but on Annie and Auggie's turn Annie knocked it off, the girl was shocked.

"Mom!" she wailed as if her mother should support her in all things.

"All's fair in love and ladder ball Peanut," Annie shrugged and Auggie kissed her.

"That's my woman, now point me toward victory," she did and his first toss sailed high, but he righted himself on the 2nd one and lassoed the top rung, they were ahead after one round.

They fell behind in the 2nd round when Barber called a delay of game penalty when Annie and Auggie were kissing against the tree when it was their turn and by the end it came down to one final throw on Auggie's part. He would never admit it, but Annie knew he let the balls fall short so Grace would win, but it was very close and everyone piled on Barber who was doing a victory dance.

Auggie stepped back from the melee when his phone buzzed, he stepped cautiously across the yard to speak privately with the caller.

"Hello," he said.

"Auggie, sorry to call on a weekend, but there is movement in Mexico City," Joan informed him.

"Should we put Operation Oberon in place now?" he asked listening to his wife's laughter across the yard.

"I think it is best."

"OK, Annie and Barber are here. I'll send Barber to Langley and Annie to the airfield. I'll have to run point from here tonight though, Grace has a friend over. They are swapping to the friend's house tomorrow so I can come in first thing in the morning."

"That's fine, with transit time and briefing on site nothing is going to be happening until then anyway, I just want the pieces in place," Joan explained.

"I'll get them moving," Auggie hung up and stood looking towards the noise, sad to end such a fun day.

"What's up?" Barber noticed the look on Auggie's face as Annie was still in the grass with the girls.

"Girls, could you please pick up the pieces from the game, I need to talk to Barber and Annie for a minute?" he asked sweetly.

Grace and Jenny giggled as they scurried around the yard intermittently doing cartwheels instead of cleaning up.

"Oberon needs to start now," Auggie said quietly.

"OK," Annie nodded.

"I can drop Annie at the airfield and head into the office," Barber already knew the protocol.

"Thanks," Auggie nodded.

"You want me to call Mrs. Watkins," Annie indicated the giggling girls.

"Nah, I can keep them tonight, they're having fun, she is coming in the morning to pick them up and I will head to Langley then. We agreed to keep Grace as normal as we can," Auggie shrugged.

"I'm gonna finish packing," Annie turned to head inside.

"Barber, can you watch them?" he asked as he reached for her arm to follow.

"Of course," the big man smiled.

***555***

Annie had brought her go bag in from the car the night before. She wanted to add a couple of Mexico-appropriate things and swap out some of her seasonally-inappropriate pieces. She grabbed it from the closet and moved the dresser out of the way to get to the safe and grab her docs.

"You ready for this?" Auggie asked.

"Yes," she said clearly.

"You were just playing ladder ball and drinking lemonade," he cautioned.

"I can turn it around, I am ready," she promised.

"OK," he smiled.

"I am sad we are going to miss our childless day in bed tomorrow," she said as she remembered the list of things he whispered in her ear last night while they watched a movie with Grace.

"Me too," he sighed.

"Chloe will babysit when I get back, we'll sneak off somewhere together for an evening," she said and stroked his arm as she passed him to put the cash and documents in her bag.

"She has exams coming up," Auggie mentioned of their niece at Georgetown.

"All the better, she can stay here and study, less distraction for her, more distraction for me," she said as she looked her husband up and down.

"I love the way your mind works," he grinned.

"And I love the way your…." she couldn't finish the sentence without laughing.

"I walked right into that one," he shook his head in defeat.

"Well, I do," she shrugged.

"I'll miss you, be safe," he reached for her and she went to him gladly, held him tight.

"I'll be fine."

***555***

Annie and Auggie came downstairs as Barber was demonstrating his juggling skills with limes from the fruit bowl, he was actually pretty good.

"Time to go," Annie said softly.

Barber caught the limes and returned them to the fruit bowl, said good bye to the girls and told Annie he would be in the car.

"Where are you going?" Grace saw the bag.

"I have to leave early on a work trip, it got moved up. I am so sorry Grace," Annie said sincerely.

"But we were going to make cookies," Grace wrung her hands and tried not to cry in front of her friend.

"Daddy will help you make cookies, you know his come out better than mine any way," Annie tried to fight her own tears, the older Grace got the harder it was to leave like this it seemed.

"When will you be back?"

"A couple days Peanut, not long. I love you so much," Annie reached out and hugged the girl.

"Grace, go find the recipe for the cookies you want, I'll be right back," Auggie said as he took Annie's arm and followed her out of the house.

"She looks heart broken, be extra sweet with her tonight?" Annie asked unnecessarily.

"We'll be fine. Call me from the safe house later. I love you," he moved his hand from her upper arm to her shoulder, to her neck, to her jaw and pulled her in for a kiss.

"I love you too," she pulled back reluctantly and hopped into Barber's car.

***555***

Auggie woke Sunday morning and could hear giggling and cartoons coming from downstairs, his clock informed him it was not even 6:00 am. He threw a shirt on with his pajama pants and shuffled downstairs.

"I thought Sundays were for sleeping in?" he said with an exaggerated yawn.

"Sundays are for having as much fun as possible before school starts again on Monday," Jenny explained.

"Solid argument Miss Watkins," Auggie nodded trying to remember a time when a Monday-Friday week was the norm.

"Will you make us scrambled eggs please?" Grace asked.

"You didn't have cookies for breakfast?" he kissed her cheek and brushed away a few crumbs.

"Busted," she giggled.

"OK, eggs to balance the cookies," Auggie agreed and set about making breakfast.

He ate with the girls and then settled them with more cartoons and some coloring books while he showered and dressed for the office.

"You're going to work too?" Grace lamented.

"When you head over to Jenny's later. I'd be terribly lonely here without my girls," Auggie frowned.

"Barber will take care of you," Grace patted him on the shoulder.

Auggie just laughed and headed for some more coffee. The morning passed quickly and easily. Auggie was monitoring Annie's mission from the deck as the girls played in the yard, before long Auggie's phone chimed 10:55 am.

"Girls, Mrs. Watkins is going to be here soon, time to clean up and get your things together," he called to them.

Like a herd of elephants they ran past him and into the condo. He packed a few things in his messenger bag and was ready to jet as soon as the girls were gone when the doorbell rang.

"Who is it?" he asked as he approached.

"Karen Watkins," came the chipper reply of Jenny's mom.

"Hello Mrs. Watkins," Auggie said as he swung the door open.

"Karen, please," she smiled, but it was lost on him.

"Auggie, please come in," he stepped aside and heard her light footfalls enter the condo.

"I hope Jenny was no problem for you and Annie," she said as they listened to the girls running around upstairs.

"Oh no, Jenny is lovely, we always enjoy having her over," Auggie assured.

"Is Annie around?" Mrs. Watkins asked seeing no sign of her.

"No, she was called into work rather suddenly," Auggie explained and missed the look of concern on Karen Watkins' face.

"On a Sunday, how awful," she covered her concern.

"Saturday actually, she left after dinner last night, it was very sudden."

"So the girls were here with just you all night?" she said, "I happily would have taken them off your hands."

He wasn't sure if she was worried about her daughter alone with a man or a blind man, but Auggie knew the signs of someone trying to seem accommodating when really they were just unsure of his capabilities.

"Mrs. Watkins, I assure, your daughter was just fine in my care," he said with his warmest grin.

"Of course," she flustered.

The girls tromped down the stairs.

"Hi Mom," Jenny called.

"Hi Jenny, Grace, good to see you."

"Hello Mrs. Watkins, thank you for letting me come over today," Grace said politely.

"My pleasure."

"You have your homework Grace?" Auggie asked.

"Yes."

"And you and Jenny are going to do it this afternoon like you promised?"

"Yes."

"And when I scan it tonight the computer will tell me if it is done or not, remember?"

"Yes."

"Good girl, give me a kiss," he crouched down to Grace level and she kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll pick her up at 6:00 as planned," Auggie addressed Mrs. Watkins.

"I can bring her back if it is easier."

"No problem, I have to go into the office, it is on my way home."

Grace must have noticed Mrs. Watkins' confusion.

"He has a driver for work, Gary, he'll be driving," Grace assured the woman.

"Right, got it. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, my world is full of eccentricities," Auggie gave her the brilliant smile again and finally they were all out the door.

Auggie pulled out his phone.

"Hey Gary, ready when you are," he said to the driver.

TBC…


	8. Chapter 8

Shortly before 11:00 am Auggie had a team of 12, including his wife, closing in on a terrorist stronghold in Panama. The feeds were live but, the connection intermittent, he was trying to read satellite data, monitor the comms and get a better uplink at the same time. He did not need another problem.

"Auggie," his secretary Beth came into the conference room, "Grace's school is on the phone."

"Shit, OK. I need 30 seconds to capture this feed."

He got the satellite reception cleared up and handed over to Millie before heading back to his office.

"Hello," he said as he hit the button on his phone that was the 'family' line.

"Mr. Anderson, sorry to bother you at work, but Grace is ill, stomach flu is sweeping through the school," the school nurse reported.

"Poor kid," Auggie sighed, "she hates being sick."

"I tried Mrs. Anderson, but was told she is out of the country….?" It was a dangling question.

"She is," Auggie cringed, damn it Annie is hanging out with terrorists waiting for his signal.

"Would you be able to get Grace?"

That was the $10,000 question. Auggie was sorely tempted to play the poor blind guy card and explain he couldn't possibly get over there, but he had picked Grace up plenty of times.

"Unfortunately I cannot make it right this second," he frowned.

"You have a couple alternate approved pick-ups," the nurse looked at Grace's file.

Auggie ran through the list in his head: Danielle for when she is in town, same his mother, Joan who is a really last resort, leaving….

"I will send Eric Barber right along. Could I speak with Grace?"

"Sure," the nurse handed the phone to the eight year old.

"Daddy, I'm sick," she sounded so small and sad.

"I know baby, I am so sorry."

"Are you coming to get me?"

"I can't sweetie, I am going to send Barber, OK? He'll get you home and all comfy," Auggie's heart clenched knowing each second on the phone with Grace was one more second her mom was in jeopardy.

"Auggie!" Millie called from down the hall.

"Grace, I have to go honey, Barber will be there soon. I love you," he said and hung up on his daughter.

He rushed back to the board room.

"Barber, Grace is sick please go pick her up and bring her home. Millie what is the sit rep?"

"Helicopter in the airspace, not ours," Millie said grimly.

"What's wrong with Grace?" Barber asked.

"Any sign of a tail number?" Auggie asked Millie and then to Barber, "Stomach bug, sorry."

"Got a partial," Millie replied.

"Fantastic," Barber groaned but stood and gathered his things.

"Run it," Auggie ordered and turned toward Barber, handed him some cash from his wallet "Make her as comfortable as you can, keep her hydrated, low sugar liquids cut with water if you need to. If she is really sick, call me and I will call the doctor. If she is feeling better, bland solid food."

Barber wanted to bitch some more but the look on Auggie's face was heartbreaking.

"Don't worry Aug, she'll be fine," he said gently.

"It's Verdasco's," Millie said of the chopper.

"Son of a bitch, how did he know….. Annie?" Auggie switched to comms.

"Yeah?"

"Verdasco is incoming, what's your 20?"

"West side of the building, boxed in by the river."

"OK, we have to be creative here, remember Santo Domingo?"

"Hard to forget…." she chuckled.

***555***

"I'm Eric Barber, I am here to pick up Grace Anderson, she's sick," Barber said to the cute woman working at the front desk of Grace's school.

"Let me just check Grace's file, do you have an ID?" the woman smiled.

"I do," Barber handed over his driver's license and watched as she clacked away at a keyboard.

She printed him a visitor's pass with his driver's license photo on it.

"You need this," she handed over the pass, "do you know where the nurse's office is?"

"I don't actually," he answered honestly.

"Gwen, I am going to escort Mr. Barber down to get Grace Anderson," she called to a woman in the back.

"OK," a voice replied.

"Right this way," she smiled again and Barber smiled back.

They found Grace asleep in one of the rooms off the main office, the school nurse cleaning up a boo boo from recess in another.

"Denise, Mr. Barber is here for Grace."

The nurse finished up, gave the kid a lollipop and stood to greet Eric.

"Thanks for coming so quickly Mr. Barber. Grace vomited once, has no fever and no headache although she was lethargic and is, as you can see, asleep," the nurse smiled at the little girl, curled up on the cot.

"Can I take her home now?" Barber asked, his heart melting at the sight of the little mini-Auggie/Annie hybrid.

"Just need you to sign for her," the nurse handed him a clip board with as form on it.

"Hey Gracie," Barber brushed her hair back.

"Daddy?" she asked sleepily.

"No sweetie, it's Barber."

"Oh yeah," she said trying to mask her disappointment.

"Daddy sends his hugs and kisses, he'll be home as soon as he can."

"OK," she said sluggishly.

"How you feelin'?"

"Sleepy," she said.

"OK, want me to carry you?" he asked and she nodded, slipping into his arms and resting her head on his broad shoulder.

***555***

"Four hostiles approaching Annie, hold your position," Millie instructed as Auggie worked other channels for back up.

Annie tapped her comm to indicate they were safe, but had to keep quiet.

"Good girl," Auggie said under his breath with a smile.

"Auggie," a different voice in his ear.

"Hal, what is your ETA?" he asked of the backup team.

"Twenty, we have enough TNT to cause a distraction, your team able to retreat and regroup?"

"Yes, there are easily 20 hostiles though so we need a good fire," Auggie clarified.

"Fire is my specialty man," Hal bragged.

"I'm counting on it."

"I know your girl is in there Auggie, don't worry."

"Thanks Hal," Auggie said knowing Hal had no idea the quantity of worry on his mind at the moment.

"Annie, I know you can't talk, but please listen," Auggie conveyed the plan and she tapped her recognition code.

***555***

Barber got Grace home.

"Bed or couch?" He asked with her in his arms ready to go in either direction.

"Couch, please," her voice still tired.

"OK," he placed her gently on the couch, moved the formal stiff pillows away and jogged upstairs for real pillows and blankets.

He grabbed a stuffed bear he remembered she liked when she was tiny and some pajamas from a drawer. He moved quietly in case she had fallen back to sleep, but he found her flipping the channels looking for something to watch in the middle of the day.

"Grace, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Icky," she grimaced.

"You'll let me know if you are going to throw up, right?" Barber said not wanting to have to clean that up if avoidable.

She nodded.

"Grace, I know I'm not daddy, but you know you have to use words."

"I promise," she said.

"OK, how about you go change into your pajamas?" he offered them to her and she shuffled to the downstairs bathroom to change.

Barber unpacked the few groceries he stopped for on the way to the school, some Pedialyte, apple juice and crackers, unsure of what was at the house. Grace emerged in her butterfly nightgown with her hair in a ponytail and she looked like a shrunken version of Annie for a second. She was still a little girl, taller, but still just a child.

"You want some juice little G?"

"Please," she said as she climbed back on the couch and snuggled the bear he brought down.

He brought her a small cup of juice, sat himself in Auggie's dad's chair and quickly became immersed in an episode of Phineas & Ferb.

***555***

"We're clear," Annie said breathlessly as she rung the river water from her shirt.

"Good, stand by," Auggie said to her, "Everyone out," he said to the room.

He waited for the room to clear and then used his laser cane to sweep it, someone tipped Verdasco and he wasn't sure what end of the mission was compromised. Certain he was alone in the sound proof room he returned to comms.

"Annie, can you get away, alone?" he asked seriously.

"Yeah, give me a minute," she whispered back.

It was a long minute.

"OK."

"How'd you get away alone?"

"Only girl here, explained I had to pee, none of them wanted to come," she laughed.

"Clever. Listen, that chopper came out of nowhere. Not sure if it is on my end or yours, but someone tipped Verdasco."

"Yeah, I gathered as much. Can you look into this guy Simmons, he is the only one I have never worked with before?"

"Sure, Millie vetted the whole team, but she might have missed something."

"We'll hang tight."

"I feel like you are a sitting duck," he sighed.

"I'm fine and now I really do need to pee, let me know what you find out."

***555***

"Barber?" Grace said suddenly and she looked flushed and a little scared.

"It's OK," Barber said as she made her way to the bathroom.

She had very little in her stomach, but the process was still unpleasant and when Barber heard she was done he went in after her and got her a wet face cloth.

"You OK, G?"

She nodded again and he didn't correct her this time as he heard her sniffle and swallow her tears.

"Oh sweetie, it's OK, come here," he held her on the bathroom floor and let her cry softly against his shoulder.

"I want my mommy," she said and sounded more like 4 year old Grace than 8 year old Grace.

"I know," Barber said softly before carrying her back to the couch.

***555***

"Simmons is secure," Annie reported in after Auggie determined the nature of Simmons relationship to Verdasco.

"Good work, is he talking?" Auggie asked.

"Not much, but a plea deal will probably get him singing."

"In the works with Justice now."

"We can still get into the warehouse, your distraction earlier splintered the guard formation."

"Too risky Annie," Auggie said knowing it was a futile battle.

"If we only leave with Simmons it would be a waste, we can get the intel."

"She's right Sir," another Operative piped up.

"Call me back in 10 with your approach, but my word is final," Auggie disconnected the comm.

"Barber's on the phone," Beth popped in.

"How is she?" Auggie asked anxious, but exhausted.

"OK, she was sick a couple hours ago, but not since. She's dozing and watching TV," Barber reported.

"Thank you Eric, this situation in Panama is starting to sort itself out, I will be there as soon as I can," Auggie promised and then hung up.

***555***

Auggie got home shortly after 7:00 pm. He could hear snoring and what sounded like Wheel of Fortune on the television.

"Barber?" he asked quietly.

"Hmmm, yeah. Oh! Auggie," the big guy hopped up making sure Grace was still asleep at the other end of the couch.

"How is she?" Auggie moved towards the couch, dropping his stuff on the credenza behind it first.

"No change, she ate some crackers and had some juice, kept it down," Barber reported.

"Oh good," Auggie smiled sadly and found the form of his daughter on the couch.

He scooped her up and sat with her in his lap, cuddling her close like he used to when she was smaller.

"Daddy?" her voice emerged.

"Hey Gracie, how you feeling?"

"Better, Barber took really good care of me," she smiled at Barber but snuggled into her dad's arms.

"I'm so glad to hear you feel better," he sighed and stroked her hair back.

"When is Mommy coming home?" despite feeling better and the presence of her father, Grace still wanted her mom.

"Tomorrow, baby, she'll be home tomorrow."

Auggie had finally told Annie that Grace was sick after the mission was complete, the intel secure and Annie clear of danger. Her team was big enough to leave them to sort out the final details and she asked Auggie to bring her back early.

"Do I have to go to school tomorrow?"

"No sweetie, you can stay home and rest tomorrow. I will stay home with you and we'll wait for Mommy."

"Thanks," she yawned.

Auggie settled her back in her pillows and blankets and headed to the kitchen for a beer.

"That was one long day," he sighed.

"Everything OK at work?" he asked vaguely.

"Yes," Auggie reported enough for Barber to know the mission as done.

"Good."

"Barber, thank you so much, I don't know what I would have done without you today."

"You would have made it work, glad I could help though."

"I hope you don't end up sick," Auggie cringed.

"I'm pretty germ resistant and if I do it will be a small price to pay. I got to spend the day watching cartoons with an adorable kid and I snagged a date with the admin at Grace's school," Barber smirked.

"So I wasn't the only one running a successful Op today, nice work," Auggie grinned and handed Barber a beer.

TBC…


	9. Chapter 9

"Grace Elizabeth Anderson, you be on your best behavior for your aunt," Annie said as they stood in the San Francisco airport.

"I will Mom," the nine year old promised solemnly.

"And have fun," Auggie added, "San Francisco is a blast."

"Thank you again," Annie said to her sister.

"Are you kidding me, I am totally empty nesting with Katia on her gap year in Costa Rica and Chloe staying in DC. I am jonesing for a kid to spoil," Danielle gushed.

"Don't hesitate to call if you need us or want to talk, Peanut," Annie left Grace all the time, but usually in Auggie's care.

The nine year old did not seem fazed by staying with her aunt though despite only seeing her once or twice a year.

"We'll pick her up on the way back," Auggie grinned.

"If you must," Danielle sighed and ran her hand over the little girl's pony tail.

"Have fun," Annie hugged Danielle and Grace in turn.

"You too, although I can't imagine you won't," Danielle teased.

All the good-byes finished and Annie and Auggie proceeded to security leaving Danielle and Grace to head back to the car. Once through security Annie directed her husband to a bar. A bar tender asked them what they would like and while Auggie ordered a beer Annie splurged and asked for a pina colada.

"See, you are getting in the mood," he teased her.

"Oh, I am totally in the mood for 5 days in Hawaii with you."

"But you'll miss the kid, I get it."

"We have a kid?" Annie asked as she bumped his shoulder with hers.

"That's the spirit," he kissed her.

***555***

"There is no way Mom and Dad are having this much fun," Grace said the next day as she sipped her Jamba Juice on the cable car.

Danielle just smiled and nodded as she sipped her own juice, pretty sure Annie and Auggie were having plenty of their own kind of fun.

***555***

"Don't stop, please god, don't stop," Annie panted as she arched her back.

"God is not doing anything," Auggie smirked.

"You stopped," she nearly whined.

"I am terrible and I think you should punish me," he laughed and she tackled him.

"We haven't left this room since we got here," she kissed along his collar bone.

"I prefer being naked in private," Auggie rationalized.

"My point is, if we were just going to stay in bed we could have found a hotel room in San Francisco," she said making no move to get out of said bed.

"We lived on a tropical island for almost a year. You've seen one tropical island, you've seen them all. Metaphorically, of course," he grinned.

"I don't think that is actually true and I would love to go for a swim," she mentioned as she continued to kiss along his chest.

"We can put that on the itinerary," he said as her teeth nibbled a particularly sensitive spot, "tomorrow."

***555***

"Aunt Danielle, brussel sprouts are much better when you make them," she announced as she ate her brussel sprouts, poached chicken and saffron rice.

"I'm glad you like them Grace, your cousins never did."

"I think they are delicious and this chicken is so juicy."

"Do your parents cook that badly?" Danielle arched an eyebrow.

"They try," Grace shook her head sadly.

"Well you seem to be growing just fine, so they must not be doing too badly," Danielle laughed.

"Well this dinner is delicious," Grace reiterated and dug back into her plate.

***555***

"This food is delicious," Annie sighed as she handed another plate across the bed to Auggie.

They had an array of small plates on the bed with them after coming up for air and realizing they were starving. Auggie ordered some sort of tasting menu from room service and they have more food than they know what to do with, but they are making a remarkable dent in it.

"More wine?" Auggie asked as he found the bottle in the ice bucket next to the bed.

"Yes please, I can't remember the last time I was tipsy," she giggled.

"We are so grown up and responsible now," Auggie lamented.

"This vacation is all about indulgence and debauchery," she crawled across the bed, careful not to spill any food and straddled his lap.

"We found this gear pretty easily," he grinned as one hand found its way under the flap of her robe.

"We've always had it in us, Grace keeps us on track."

"And the CIA, don't forget the CIA."

"I never forget the CIA," she laughed and reached for the tie on the bathrobe he was wearing.

"Annie, you do remember I am over 40 now, right?" Auggie asked as she abandoned the food in favor of his body.

"Age is just a number, this body," she ran her hands along his still incredibly well-defined abs, "is in its prime."

He laid back and pulled her on top of him.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," he laughed before he rolled her under him.

***555***

"Sometimes I am sad that dad can't see," Grace admitted as they strolled through the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

"Oh Grace, your dad is really amazing, he wouldn't want you to be sad."

"I know, I just wish he could see some of the beautiful things in the world, like this art, or Mom…."

"Or you?" Danielle prompted.

"I know he could see once and I wonder if he feels differently about the people he knew when he could see."

"I don't think he could love you any more than he does Grace, you are the whole world to him, you and your mom. He's never seen her, do you think he doesn't love her as much as he could?"

"No," Grace shook her head.

"It's the same with you, don't you worry. And you should know, your dad is a pretty smart guy, he has asked lots of questions about what you look like and he has created his own idea of you, like a piece of art in his mind," Danielle pointed to a Paul Klee to illustrate.

***555***

"OK Picasso, you keep painting that sunscreen on and I will have weird tan lines," Annie giggled as Auggie dragged a finger through a pool of sunscreen on the small of her back.

"You are the one who insisted on putting on clothes and coming outside," he smoothed the flat of his hand along her back, distributing the sunscreen and making her body tingle.

"Mmmm, but the sun feels good and I am ready to jump in that water, it looks like a post card," she propped her chin on her hands and stared out at the water from her chaise.

"I like this," he indicated the plunging back of her bathing suit, by running a finger under the edge of it.

"I thought you would, but it requires sufficient sunscreen coverage," she looked back over her shoulder and watched the intent look on his face as he moved up to cover her shoulders.

"This was such a good idea," he murmured in her ear.

"Coming outside?" she smirked.

"Coming on vacation, the getting out of bed idea is still up for debate," he parried back.

She managed to turn under his hands so she was looking up at him, he was aging beautifully, her own 40th birthday passing this year. They had managed to make a life for their little girl, socked money away for the day she wanted to go off to college, they were all healthy and happy. It was a remarkable life.

"I love you," she said quietly, seriously.

"Yeah?" he grinned.

"A lot," she found his hand and laced their fingers together, his wedding ring glinted in the sun.

"That's good, I would hate to think it was a one sided thing," he chuckled and stretched out beside her on the chaise, wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

***555***

"Mom would love this tub," Grace said as she leaned back in the huge claw foot tub with bubbles up to her chin.

"Your mother is an expert at bubble baths," Danielle agreed.

"They got a new tub for their bathroom, it is like a pool. Mom and I play spa and do each other's nails and stuff," Grace mentioned.

"Really? Your mom and I used to do that when we were kids," Danielle sunk down to her knees next to the tub, resting her chin on the lip.

"Sometimes I wish I had a sister, but then my friends complain about sharing and stuff and I am happy to just be me."

"You are a pretty lucky little girl. A little more hot water?" she offered and turned on the tap when Grace nodded.

Danielle looked at the little girl, her ponytail wet at the end from the depth of the tub and realized how lucky she really was. Sure, her dad was blind and her mom was a spy who risked her life on a regular basis, but she had love. Two parents that loved her dearly and loved each other thoroughly. It sounds simple, but it is a really hard thing to achieve, she knew that first hand.

***555***

"Are you burnt?" Auggie kissed along her shoulders in the huge round tub in their hotel room.

"A little, not bad though, you did a good job with the sunscreen after all," she dropped her head forward so he could kiss her neck more easily.

"I worried it washed off while you swam for hours," he said against her skin.

"It felt good, I love the ocean," she sighed and leaned back against him.

"Maybe we should sell the house in Niue, buy one on a beach a little closer to home?" he suggested a thought that had been in his brain for a while.

"Mmmm," she murmured neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Annie and Auggie had only made 1 trip to Niue since Grace was born.

"What?"

"I want to bring Grace there once though, show her a part of our past that we can kind of show her…"

"Are you talking about reading her in, Annie?" he asked his voice neutral on the subject.

"Not right now, but maybe sooner rather than later," she shrugged.

"I'll support whatever you decide," he found her hand in the water and brought it to his lips.

"You always have…."

***555***

"Can I call Mom and Dad?" Grace asked on Day 3.

Danielle looked at her watch and did a little math.

"It's still pretty early in the morning there honey, maybe wait a little while?" Danielle offered and Grace agreed easily.

***555***

"Mmmmm, Auggie, it's still dark out," Annie protested weakly as Auggie kissed up the column of her spine.

"I'm awake," he gave as way of explanation.

"I noticed," she laughed.

"And I want you so bad," his lips had made their way to her ear.

"I noticed that too," she laughed louder.

She turned under him so they were face to face now and the mischief and desire in his eyes was intoxicating. He trailed his fingers down the front of her, stopping along the way at the interesting spots he found on route to his final destination.

"Apparently I am not alone," he growled when he found her as ready as he was.

"I might have been dreaming about you," she lolled her head to one side and bit her lip.

"We don't get this much, lazy sleepy sex," he mentioned as he moved against her slowly.

"Mmmmm," she agreed with a moan.

She pulled him down, flush with her, cheek to cheek. She wrapped her legs low around his back, forcing him closer, deeper.

"Why do you think sex is so fun?" Auggie asked as he continued to move slowly against her.

"In general, or for us?" Annie asked as she met his movement with countermovement that caused them both to groan.

"In general, why is it not just another biological imperative like sneezing or peeing? Why does it feel so damn good?" he asked as she rolled him on to his back and settled her weight on top, his knees sliding up to support her lower back, her head back, long hair tickling his knees.

"I don't know, propagation of the species I guess, had to make it fun to insure we bred," she shrugged and that turned into a shudder as he teased her body.

"Some credit has to go to humans, we do make it more interesting than other animals," he grinned.

"And more complicated," she laughed, but shifted forward reaching for the headboard above him.

"True," he nodded as he arched up to kiss her, she met him half way.

"We might have missed this," she said solemnly and his fingers trailed over the scars on her body.

"We might never have even met," she kissed his temple.

"We're very lucky," he said his voice thick with emotion just before she kissed his lips.

***555***

"We should all Grace," Annie mentioned as they lay tangled together, the sun just filtering into the room, "since we're up so early," she teased and kissed his arm,

"Good idea," he said, but made no move to get up.

Annie reached for her phone on the nightstand and dialed Danielle.

"Good morning," Danielle answered.

"Hi there, how are you guys doing?" Annie replied.

"We're fine, you're up early."

"Auggie couldn't sleep," Annie said and felt him smile against her shoulder.

"Uh huh," Danielle nodded sagely.

"Everything OK?"

"Everything is fine, we are having a wonderful time. Want to talk to Grace?" Danielle asked and didn't wait for an answer handing the phone to the waiting 9 year old.

"Hi!" Grace said excitedly.

"Hi honey, you having fun?" Annie asked, turning her head so Auggie could hear the phone too.

"Yes, Aunt Danielle has taken me everywhere and cooked me so many good things and we went shopping," Grace went on and on.

"Sounds like you are being spoiled rotten," Annie grinned.

"A little," Grace admitted.

"We miss you sweetie," Auggie added.

"I miss you too, can't wait to see you in a couple days. Have fun!" Grace said good-bye and gave the phone back to Danielle.

"Would you be willing to time share her? She is fantastic," Danielle said with a laugh.

"You could always move back to DC" Annie brought it up for the 700th time.

"Maybe someday," Danielle conceded.

"We'll be home Friday as planned."

"We'll see you at the airport!"

TBC…


	10. Chapter 10

"You lived here?" Grace asked as she walked out the back door of the small house in Niue.

"We did," Annie answered.

"When?"

"A couple years before you were born," Auggie said vaguely.

"It's beautiful," she gushed of the verdant landscape and stunning beach beyond.

"It is," Annie said nostalgically.

"Why are you selling it?" Grace asked after her parents explained why they were taking he trip.

"Well, you just took the trip, it is really far from home. That's what we liked about it back then, but your dad and I think we should find a beach house closer to home. We've only come here once since you were born."

"When?" Grace puzzled for a time her parents were both gone together and aside from their trip to Hawaii last year and a few weekends here and there she couldn't think of any.

"You were 3, your father needed a break. Your grandmother stayed with you, do you remember?"

"Vaguely," Grace admitted.

"Why don't you guys head down to the beach, I'll unpack," Auggie offered.

"Thanks," Annie kissed her husband softly and grabbed the bag with the sunscreen in it before heading out behind Grace.

Auggie moved things around the small house, their caretaker had been by recently and things were clean and orderly, so Auggie was able to unpack their bags and groceries with ease. Although the house was small and manageable the landscape seemed to change constantly so he took his cane as he charted a course for the beach.

He could hear Annie and Grace laughing and moved towards the sound, felt the sand pack shift under his feet as he got closer to the water.

"Hey," he said when he thought he was close.

"Hey," Annie's voice came from below him and he realized she was sitting and joined her.

Annie was watching and laughing as Grace ran in and out of the waves, throwing in an occasional cartwheel. They had spent a few days in New Zealand before sailing to Niue, so the 10 year old was already acclimated to the time zone shift and the weather.

"Working off the cabin fever from the boat?" Auggie asked as he followed the sounds of his daughter.

"She's getting so grown up," Annie sighed as she watched Grace's long legs work in the sand, her long hair up in a messy bun looked so much like Annie's, she had Auggie's well-defined jaw.

"Ten," Auggie said sadly.

"It went by in a blink. I was gone so much," Annie lamented.

"It went by fast for me too and I was home for almost all of it. Time passes, kids grow up."

"She's such a daddy's girl, you did a great job on your own a lot," Annie found his hand on the sand and placed hers on top of it.

"She loves you so much Annie," Auggie promised.

"I hope she still does when we are done talking to her," Annie blew out a long breath.

"Mom, come in the water," Grace called and Annie stood and stripped off her sundress to reveal her bathing suit underneath.

She tossed her sundress on Auggie's head and he was instantly surrounded by the scent of Annie.

"Not fair," he faux-lamented, clutching the soft cotton in his hands.

***555***

On their 3rd night in paradise Annie made a special dinner, she encouraged Grace to wear the new dress they had bought in the market and Auggie actually put shoes on.

"What is the occasion?" Grace asked suspiciously as she watched her mother brush a little make up on.

"Just wanted to have a nice dinner," Annie said with a smile.

"You look pretty Mom."

"You do too sweetie. Go find your dad."

Auggie was already at the table, a look of concentration and concern on his face.

"What's wrong?" Grace said, surprising him.

"Nothing Little G, nothing at all," Auggie smiled towards her.

"You and Mom are acting weird. I know you aren't getting a divorce, you kiss too much for that, what's up? Oh my God, is mom pregnant?" she asked simultaneously excited and grossed out.

Annie walked in in time to hear that.

"We were going to wait until after dinner, but maybe we should do this now," Annie sighed.

"You're both freaking me out?"

"Sit down Grace," Auggie instructed and the girl did as she was told.

"I'm not pregnant Grace. Your father and I wanted to talk to you about our jobs…" Annie began.

Auggie and Annie took turns telling Grace about their jobs, in as much detail as they could and felt she would understand. Annie noted the constant display of emotion on her face, she really was her father's daughter.

"Do you have any questions Grace?" Auggie asked tenderly.

"Probably," she shrugged and laughed uneasily.

"We know it is a lot for you to absorb, but we thought you were old enough to know and to understand how important it is that you never ever tell anyone," Annie reiterated the 'covert' part.

Grace stood and walked over to Annie and hugged her tightly and then left the room. Annie looked at Auggie and he seemed as confused as she was.

"She left."

"She can't go too far," Auggie shrugged.

"Is she OK? Do I go after her?"

"I don't know," Auggie sighed.

Annie and Auggie sat there silently for 15 minutes and finally Annie stood.

"I need to find her," she said calmly.

"OK," Auggie stood and took her lead.

It wasn't quite dark out yet and it was easy to spot Grace's long dark hair blowing in the breeze on the beach. She seemed to just be standing there.

"Grace," Annie called and she saw the tears when her daughter turned.

"Oh baby," Annie ran, dislodging Auggie's grip and causing him to stumble a little on the uneven sand.

"I'm OK," Grace smiled through the tears as Annie approached.

"We didn't want to upset you," Auggie said as he found his way to the small gathering.

"I just, I don't know what to say. I have, I mean, I always knew Dad was a hero, he was in the war and he was brave, but I didn't know. Mom, I'm sorry," Grace said, she sounded so grown up.

"Grace, you have no reason to apologize," Annie pulled the girl close.

"There were times I was mad at you, for not being there," Grace admitted with a small sob.

"Oh honey, you had every right to have those feelings, that's perfectly normal," Annie whispered against her hair.

"Is it dangerous?"

"Sometimes," Annie said honestly.

"Your mother is very good at her job Grace," Auggie added.

"Can we have dinner now?" was her next question.

"Sure," Auggie laughed.

***555***

The next day Grace & Annie emerged from the beach in search of food and found Auggie conversing with a lizard in his hammock.

"Friend of yours?" Grace asked.

"Grace, I would like you to meet Hank. Hank, this is Grace," Auggie introduced.

"Babe, I really don't think that is Hank," Annie laughed.

"Lizards have very long life expectancies," Auggie said and sheltered Hank from the potential bad news.

"Uh huh," Annie grinned.

"Are you making lunch?" Auggie asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Gracie, keep your dad company before he starts talking to the lizard again," Annie teased and headed into the kitchen.

"He's kind of cute, can I hold him?" Grace asked.

"Sure," Auggie scooped a docile Hank from the cotton of his tee shirt and held him out.

"Cool," Grace exclaimed as the lizard crawled onto her arm and relaxed there.

She sat on a chaise near the hammock looking at the gecko and her dad.

"How you feeling Gracie?" Auggie asked knowing her eyes were on him.

"I'm OK, everything seems really normal."

"This is normal for us, we are used to this life and even though you didn't realize it, you are too. Your mom is extraordinary, she can speak 18 languages and has been all over the world, but she is still your mom and a terrible cook and goofy as hell," Auggie laughed.

"Terrible cook, huh? Maybe Grace and I will eat lunch by ourselves," Annie said sternly as she emerged from the kitchen to take sandwich orders.

"You make a fantastic sandwich," Auggie conceded.

"You have just coasted by on your good looks all these years buster," she tried to stay stern but wound up laughing instead.

"See, totally normal," Grace laughed.

***555***

The house in Niue was small, really small. Grace was sleeping on an inflatable mattress in the living room, on the other side of the thin wall to Auggie and Annie's room. The first few days of their trip this was hardly an issue, between time zones, travel fatigue, sun and salt air and the stress of reading Grace in, everyone had fallen asleep quickly at night.

Tonight Annie was not so quick to sleep though, her body pressed deliciously against Auggie's in the sunken mattress, her fingers teasing at the elastic of his boxers.

"Annie…." He tried for stern but came off more whiny.

"Sorry," the word and her tone didn't actually match, and she didn't actually stop.

"I'm glad we brought her, but our last trip here," he lamented the idea.

"We can be quiet," she saw the crack in his reserve.

"Never have before," he countered.

"First time for everything," she whispered and crawled on top of him, the bed creaking under the movement.

"The bed alone will wake her up, it is so squeaky," Auggie flushed from the friction of her body against his.

"Floor? Shower? Closet? Hammock? Beach? Pick a spot Babe and pick it quick," Annie said as her lips worked against his neck.

He stopped her gently, his hands clasped around her upper arms.

"Beach," he said it softly and beautifully, like a prayer.

"Yeah," she smiled and nodded, kissed him quickly before hopping off the bed, freezing at the squeaking sound afraid it woke Grace.

Auggie moved around the room quickly gathering a few things and when Annie sighed slightly in anticipation he explained that sand was scratchy and she giggled at him, offered him her arm and led him quietly through the living room where their daughter slept.

Annie grabbed the half bottle of red wine and a glass from the kitchen counter and slipped them both quietly out the back door. She halted Auggie's progress, standing at the back door to make sure they didn't wake Grace. After a few minutes of no movement from inside she continued down to the beach.

The moon provided enough light for Annie and she knew the tide would be on its way out, so she walked them to the firm hard packed sand without fear of being swept out to sea. Auggie shook out the blanket as she pulled her nightgown off over her head and turned it into a pillow.

Auggie was already shirtless, the moon doing things to the contours of his body that made Annie's mouth go dry.

"You look beautiful," she said honestly before she pulled him down to the blanket with her.

She couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes as they made love on the beach. She also couldn't stop talking, Auggie was right they were hardly ever quiet in bed.

"I wish I could say this is where we fell in love, " she mentioned as she slid against his damp skin.

"It is definitely where we confirmed we were in love," Auggie offered as he reached for her hands, interlocking their fingers to allow her better purchase.

"I wonder what would have happened if we never went back."

"We probably would have had more than one kid, but we wouldn't have Grace as she exists now," Auggie philosophized.

"Yeah, playing what if is dangerous for people like us."

"Gorgeous successful people who are madly in love?" he asked with a grin and she leaned down to kiss him, rolling them to the edge of the blanket.

Despite the blanket they ended up sweaty and sandy, so Annie hauled her husband to his feet and led him into the warm water.

Refreshed, redressed and relaxed they sat, arms around each other, sharing a glass of wine.

"How do you have a toast with one glass?" Auggie asked.

Instead of an answer Annie crashed her lips against his as you would glasses, quick and sharp.

"To the next beach," she said and kissed him again.

The End….for now

Note: I am not "completing" this one as I imagine I will be inspired to revisit Grace in the future, I will use this story to add on (maybe even going back in time) down the road, but for now we plunge into Season 5, so, back to reality…..


	11. Chapter 11

Note: So I was inspired by Epona3 to return to my domestic bliss Walkerson AU. Just a reminder, this went AU after 406 so no Helesa, Henry was captured not killed (along with Calder who I kind of miss writing) and Joan's little boy is not named Mack and she is DCS.

This is an event that was alluded to in chapter 4, Grace is 3.

***555***

"Aug….gie…" the end of his name was a long moan.

He chuckled, the vibrations traveling from her knee deliciously up her thigh.

"You OK?" he asked as he heard her swallow, her breath short.

"This is torture," she bent her knee pulling his naked body closer to hers, but he held his ground and continue to nuzzle the leg bent over his shoulder.

"I have been tortured and I assure you, this is not torture," he grinned.

"Not funny," she pulled her leg back and poked him in the chest with her toe.

"Sorry," he said with the same grin that made him seem not really sorry.

He captured her foot deftly and began kissing along her instep again, setting back their progress like the time Annie helped a turtle across the street only to realize the water was on the other side. And Auggie was moving like a turtle tonight.

"Auggie…." She nearly whined.

"Yessss….?" He drew out the 's'.

" I want you."

"I noticed," smug grin.

"Now," she clarified.

"Right now?" he arched an eyebrow.

"Right now," she slowly moved her free foot over his thigh.

He laughed and launched himself from his position kneeling at her feet to stretch the entire length of her body, feeling her muscles stretch along his own, feeling her lungs fill with air and her hips swivel to draw him closer. Despite all of these overwhelmingly provocative indications, he returned to leisurely kissing her, at least he had moved to her mouth.

"I missed you," Auggie confessed as he moved his lips along her jaw and headed for her neck.

"I was only gone t-t-two days," she stuttered as his teeth made contact with her skin.

"Too long," he murmured as he shifted against her and headed for her breasts.

She could feel how much he wanted her and it was driving her crazy that he wouldn't just get on with it. Despite her frustration she arched into his mouth as his tongue danced against her.

"Oh Goddd," she moaned.

"Nice," he replied and the whisper of the soft 'c' sound was her final undoing.

Without any warning she managed to shift her positon and flip Auggie onto his back, the laugh he let out at her ferocity undermined her position of power, but she melted at the look of sheer delight on his face.

"Now, Auggie," she ground out as she slipped her body on top of his.

"Fine," he relented and thrust up to meet her enthusiastically.

Their pace increased and Annie reached down, trailing her fingers along the strong arms at Auggie's sides, finding his hands, lacing their fingers together and leveraging that connection.

"God, Auggie," she yelped when he pulled his knees up and changed the angle.

To be honest Annie had wanted Auggie like this for the whole flight home from Madrid, she had slept in fits and starts on the flight always waking with his body at the front of her mind and her palms slightly sweaty. When she walked in the house earlier to find him having a tea party with Grace it was all she could do not to jump him right there and now he managed to know exactly what she needed and was giving her everything and holding himself back despite her repeatedly loud comments of satisfaction.

Just when Annie thought she couldn't possibly be any more sated Auggie reached out and touched her just so, her head tilted back and as she was about to close her eyes she caught movement at her nine o'clock and heard the squeak of the door.

"Mommy?' a tiny voice asked, "are you OK?"

This time when Annie said "Oh God," it had a very different tone.

Time stood still for a second and then Annie whipped the sheet up around her and Auggie and glanced as Auggie shut his eyes tightly in hopes of disappearing, a tinge of pink crept along his cheeks towards his ears.

"Gracie, what are you doing up?"

"You were yelling, are you OK?" she toddled closer to the bed.

Annie thrust a hand out in a halting motion while clutching the sheet to her naked body.

"I'm fine honey, go on back to bed, Mommy will be right there," she watched as the confused toddler retreated and Annie collapsed on the bed next to her increasingly pink husband.

"I don't think I have ever seen you blush before," she kissed his cheek which was warm from exertion and embarrassment and slipped out of bed finding her nightgown and panties on the floor.

***555***

When Annie returned to the bedroom 20 minutes later, having assured Grace she was fine by reading her a story and singing a song with her, Auggie was still in the exact spot she had left him.

"You OK?" she asked quietly.

"Did we scar her for life?" Auggie asked turning his head on the pillow towards her.

"No, she is fine and sound asleep," Auggie heard the sound of Annie's nightgown as she tossed it at the foot of the bed and the slight thwack of elastic as she shimmied out of her panties again.

He opened his arms to her when she slipped back into bed, but Annie could tell the intimate part of the evening was over.

"I didn't know what to do. I always know what to do and I just froze," Auggie admitted with a dry chuckle.

"Terrorists you can thwart no problem, a small child catches us having sex and you're flummoxed?" she grinned against his chest.

"Yep, we have found my kryptonite."

"So, what, we stop having sex at home? We will have to get a loan for the hotel rooms we run off to during the work day," she traced patterns on his lower abdomen, an almost certain path to arousal, but nothing.

"I'll be fine, tomorrow," he took her hand away from his body and kissed each of her fingers. "After we install the new doorknob, with the lock on it that we will be buying on the way home from work."

The End


	12. Chapter 12A

NOTE: This is another event that is referenced in Chapter 4, this was a specific request from a guest and I thought I would give it a shot. This will be slightly different from the other "Snapshots" though as it is not just a day in the life, but actually a couple weeks. Grace is 4.

***555***

Auggie knocked before opening the door to Joan's office, the admin had told him to go ahead in, but knocking still seemed polite.

"Come in Auggie. Millie is here," Joan clarified.

Upon hearing the name of Annie's handler Auggie's heart dropped.

"What happened?" he said holding his position halfway into the room.

"Come in and sit down," Joan said gently and Auggie just shook his head.

"She's alive," Joan said quietly and saw his shoulders slump slightly.

"But?" he moved toward the chair.

"She was compromised in the facility, she ducked into a lab to avoid a hostile, but she was pursued and a fight ensued. She terminated the hostile, but in the scuffle he knocked over a tray, something on the tray caused an instant reaction, similar to anaphylaxis. Back-up was immediately on scene, she was transported to Ramstein, she is alive, but unconscious," Millie reported.

"What is the prognosis?" had to clear his throat halfway through the word prognosis.

"Uncertain, Auggie, our guys are trying to reverse engineer the pathogen, but all the staff in the facility are either dead or long gone. It is slow going. She is being treated with high dose antivirals and antibiotics, she hasn't declined," Joan continued.

"But she hasn't improved?"

"It's only been a couple hours," Joan soothed.

"Can I? Can I go to her?"

Joan and Millie looked at each other and let him work it out himself.

"I can't go to her, I need to stay with Grace. Oh God, Grace," Auggie hung his head.

"The doctor is expecting your call, he will give you all the access you need from here and as soon as Annie is stable enough we will ship her here," Joan promised.

"OK," Auggie stood, there was no need to stay there any longer.

***555***

"Here, Daddy," Grace said as she pushed a soft fluffy something into his hands that night.

He felt along the stuffed animal finding long ears and some well-loved matted patches and realized she had handed him her bunny, a gift from her Aunt Danielle that Grace prized above all other toys.

"What's this for?" Auggie asked with a small smile.

"Daddy, you look sad and when I am sad I hug bunny," she climbed into the leather wingback chair that had been Auggie's father's and sat on his lap.

Auggie was simultaneously touched and concerned.

"Are you sad a lot, Gracie?" he found her head and ran his hand down her small back, feeling the rise and fall of her breath.

"No, but sometimes, when I miss Mommy or when the baby bird died" she shrugged and he felt it.

Auggie remembered her and Annie both crying over the little bird that had fallen from its nest in the spring.

"You are so sweet, Grace," he kissed her head and held her close, the toy rabbit clutched in his other arm.

***555***

"Hey," her voice was so soft and weak.

"Hey," his sounded equally thin.

"I'm sorry…" she broke off into a cough that sounded so painful.

"Don't, Annie, don't," he fought the bile in his throat and the tears stinging his eyes.

"I love you," she recovered her voice but it sounded even worse.

"Sleep, rest, get better. Joan is shipping you back to me tomorrow, you have to be strong enough to go. You have to come home, Annie," Auggie pled into the phone.

"Grace, OK?"

"She's worried I'm sad, but she doesn't know why. Trying to look less sad," he chuckled.

"You're a terrible poker player," she smiled, her lips cracking from dehydration.

"We love you so much, Annie. We need you here," he tried not to cry.

"I'll be there tomorrow."

***555***

The first night Annie was home she couldn't sit at the table for dinner so Auggie brought her some soup and helped her eat it. Grace stood in the doorway with a tiny worried look that neither of her parents noticed.

Auggie put the little girl to bed with extra stories and extra kisses,

As he slipped into his own bed he was afraid to jostle Annie or wake Annie or hurt Annie.

"Come here," she whispered, her voice still reedy.

He scooted closer to her, felt the sheets warm as he approached her but stopped before he touched her. She made up the difference and molded herself to his body, wrapped her arms around his chest and held on. He placed a hand delicately on her thin shoulder.

"More," she asked.

He slid the hand down and hugged her to him lightly.

"More."

His other arm came around, trapping her against his body holding her firmly now and she felt his body shake as he silently cried.

"I'm OK," she promised.

***555***

A week at home and Annie was feeling much better and getting really sick of lounging around in bed. She picked up her phone and hit the #2 speed dial to reach Grace's nanny.

"Annie, everything OK?" Linda answered before the first full ring had finished.

"Everything is fine, I'm actually feeling really good and was wondering if you would bring Grace straight here from pre-school?"

"Are you sure? Auggie said you really needed your rest?" Linda had no idea what had happened to Annie but Auggie's tone of voice left no room for argument.

"I promise I will take care of Auggie. I thought Grace and I could make dinner, could you grab some groceries too?"

"Of course, text me a list and make sure Auggie knows you twisted my arm," the younger woman laughed.

Annie got up then and showered, feeling strong and more like herself than she had in a week. Her hair was greasy and tangled and the scent of her shampoo lifted her spirits even more. Once she got dressed she was flooded with energy, she stripped the sheets from the bed and replaced them with clean, she took the hamper full of her rotating convalescent pajamas and Auggie's work clothes downstairs and sorted and did laundry.

By the time Linda and Grace arrived with the groceries Annie was sitting with a cup of tea and a magazine.

"Mommy!" the little girl squealed and ran up to her but then stopped.

"Come on Gracie, Mommy's fine," she smiled and the little girl launched herself at Annie.

"I missed you Mommy."

As Linda quietly put the groceries away Annie cuddled with Grace and heard all about her adventures while Annie was sick.

"So, I was planning to have Grace for the afternoon. I could cook dinner if you two wanted to go to the park, it is really nice outside," Linda offered.

"Outside? I haven't been outside in over a week," Annie realized out loud.

"Then I insist, go ahead," Linda shooed them out.

Grace and Annie practically skipped to the park, Annie glad to be free of the house and Grace so happy to have her real mom back. Annie chased Grace through the swings and up the slide and down again, she found herself weak and winded, but not nearly as bad as she had been. She rested a bit and was able to rebound right back to keep up with the 4 year old.

Annie was showing Grace how to weave daisies into a headband when she heard a familiar clicking noise behind her on the path, she smiled.

"What?" Grace asked at her sudden giggle.

"Look behind us," Annie whispered.

"Daddy!" Grace screamed.

"And here I was concerned about how I was going to locate you in this big park," Auggie grinned.

"Bench about 10 steps ahead on your right," Annie instructed and Auggie found the bench easily, sitting beside Annie.

"I'm climbing on you now," Grace warned as she moved from Annie's lap to Auggie's.

"Thanks for the warning," he smiled and tried to settle the squirming ball of energy, but she was too busy putting the daisy chain on his head.

"It's a little small for Daddy, we made it for you," Annie laughed and Auggie looked over with a raised eyebrow at how normal she sounded.

"Mommy feels better," Grace informed.

"I am so happy to hear that," he grinned even louder.

TBC…


	13. Chapter 12B

Grace was quickly bored of her parents and asked Annie if she could swing with a girl they knew from the neighborhood, the girl's mom waived in recognition and Annie let Grace run off.

"Imagine my surprise when I got home early to make my girls dinner and neither of them were home," Auggie sounded strained.

"Was Linda still there?"

"Yes, I found her on the porch, I might have been a little panicked by the time I got to her."

"Sorry," Annie ran her hand along his thigh and felt the muscles jump delightfully.

"Should you be out?" he asked his voice high and his eyebrow arched.

"I feel so good Auggie," she whispered in his ear, letting her tongue slip subtly to trace the lobe before she sat back.

"OK then," Auggie nodded asking nothing further, but Annie couldn't help but notice that the previously pensive look on his face was replaced with something akin to blatant desire.

Annie moved closer to Auggie on the bench, took his hand in hers, running her thumb along each knuckle and tendon deliciously slow. Finally when Auggie could barely stand it anymore he spoke.

"Dinner must be almost ready."

"Grace! Time to go," Annie called with a grin.

Annie walked over and thanked the other mother for letting Grace play and took the 4 year-old's hand as she waved good-bye with the other one.

"Can you take her home and get her cleaned up for dinner, I have to do a quick errand," Annie asked casually.

"Sure…."Auggie was confused.

"Also, do you have any cash?" she was already reaching in his pocket for his wallet and he just stood there looking put upon.

"I do, you go right ahead and take it," he said with a smirk.

"I'm taking a $20," she informed him before slipping the wallet back into his pocket and watching the set of his jaw tighten when her hand lingered.

***555***

Annie entered the house to hear Grace singing loudly from upstairs. Linda was gone, dinner smelled delicious and Auggie was sitting on the couch with his head tilted back.

"I hope that is you Walker, because I don't have the energy to fight off an intruder," he grinned.

"It's me and you haven't called me Walker in ages," she stood behind him and took in his appearance, he looked truly exhausted. She had been too sick to notice what the past couple weeks had done to Auggie.

She slid her fingers into his hair and massaged his scalp, getting the requisite purr she was expecting.

"Did you get whatever it was you needed?' he reached over and fingered the plastic bag she dropped on the couch.

"I did," she assured but gave no further information, "and I am keeping the change."

"My money is your money," he nodded encouraging her to keep up the massage.

"I'm starving," Grace appeared suddenly and dramatically.

"I do not think that is true," Auggie grinned, "I am fairly certain you have eaten today."

"OK, I am very very very hungry from all the playing," she clarified.

"That I believe," Annie agreed.

Dinner turned out much better with Linda cooking it and all three ate hungrily. Annie pulled her chair closer to Auggie than normal, her foot on his, her knee against his, her gaze never leaving his face.

"Mommy, I am talking and you guys are not listening," Grace whined.

"Sorry, baby, what is up?" Annie pulled her attention away from her husband.

"I said, Tiffany got to leave pre-school early today because her mommy was having a baby."

"That is very exciting, I didn't know Tiffany's mom was having a baby," Annie made small talk with her 4 year old.

"Could you have a baby?" Grace asked suddenly.

"So you can leave pre-school early? No," Annie teased.

"Not just for that," Grace replied as if her mother was addled.

"Your daddy and I have decided that we like you so much we only need you."

"So Tiffany's mom doesn't like her very much?" Grace puzzled.

"Wow," Auggie smiled, "that was quick."

While Auggie was stunned by his daughter's ability to connect the dots Annie was terrified Grace was going to repeat this to Tiffany and tried to backtrack, stumbling over her words. Auggie patted her knee in solidarity but never stopped smiling.

***555***

"Serious parenting fail," Annie lamented after she put Grace to bed.

"You rebounded nicely, the whole sociological breakdown of non-traditional families and how everyone is different and special was great. Were there visual aids, because I missed those?" Auggie snarked.

"You weren't a ton of help," she pouted.

"I was trying so hard not to laugh, doesn't that count?" he found her by the bedroom door and kissed her deeply.

Annie got lost in the kiss, the taste of Auggie and the beer he had with dinner were both equally intoxicating. He had kissed her plenty over the past week, but not like this. She was unsure of what to do with her hands, they wanted to be everywhere at once so she settled for clutching handfuls of his dress shirt, the starch from the dry cleaner wilted by the heat of the day and his body to a soft fabric that felt almost as good as his skin.

"God, Annie," he wrenched his lips away from her to breathe. "Can we…? Are you..? I want…"

"Care to finish any of those sentences?" she teased as her fingers found their way to his belt.

"I would very much like to…..God, Annie," he breathed in through his teeth as her hands ventured further.

She swallowed his moan as she captured his lips again. His hands finally joined the frenzy and he soon had her shirt off and was peeling one strap of her bra down when she stopped kissing him suddenly.

"I almost forgot, be right back," she kissed him quickly and left.

"Woman is trying to kill me…." Auggie muttered as he gathered the few items of clothing hey managed to shed.

He heard the crinkle of the plastic bag from earlier.

"Tonight's dinner conversation was timely," she handed him a box.

The box itself was completely non-descript, but he opened it at one end and the small foil wrapped item he removed made him grin.

"I have been on a lot of antibiotics, we need to use these for a while," Annie said shyly as she locked the door behind her.

"Of course," he found his nightstand and deposited the box there, leaving the one he took out handy. "Right now I would just like to kiss you though."

Annie's eyes flooded with tears, the days of fear and pain and exhaustion crashing down on her, the evidence of the same so clear on Auggie. She threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly whispering over and over how much she loved him, her words echoed back from him. Soon she reached back and turned down the bed as they both slowly removed the last of their clothes.

The clean sheets she had put on the bed earlier were crisp and smelled fresh, like a new start. Neither of them took their side of the bed, they met gladly in the middle, entwined at every level. The kissing was blissful, Annie thought maybe she could do this forever, but after a while the rest of her body demanded the same attention.

"I need this," she whispered in the dark and Auggie reached back for the condom from earlier.

He wordless asked her what she wanted, where she wanted him and she pulled him over her. He felt her smooth calves slide up around his hips and he sunk into her, pressed his chest against hers, anchored her to the mattress. He was achingly slow at first, the slightest of motions building as she shuddered beneath him.

"I don't want to let go of you," he said as his hands plunged into her hair, pulling her lips back to his.

The End


End file.
